tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539623236139599142024-03-14T07:56:51.052-07:00The Max and Zahra ChroniclesVanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-22336759693053697282011-02-06T09:44:00.000-08:002011-02-06T09:54:48.822-08:00Zahra's First Jiu Jitsu Tournament<p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwTnKR37N2ZHXL2VF3rRxo6G0WwAidF_Uz9hY9hoL3wm4MH7VNGPcY_LzX5J5VmpqPUlt5X-_lUv6eaUKSfAw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>On Saturday, February 5, Zahra participated in her first in-house tournament at the Gracie Barra Academy where she began training about a month ago. We are so proud of her! She's only been training a couple weeks, but she got out on the mat and had two matches with two of the other little boys that take jiu jitsu classes with her. Willie has been attending classes here for almost a year and a half and we all really like the academy. It's a very family-oriented atmosphere and everyone is really nice. Zahra liked going to the parents-and-kids classes with Willie and we decided to try and enroll her in the kids-only classes. We gave it a test run for two weeks just to see how it would go and Zahra really seemed to take to it. We thought she might be shy and hesitant to get involved, but we were quickly proven wrong. At the beginning of class, she follows along with the warm up routine and then the instructor goes over specific skills and has the kids practice with each other. Most of the time, Zahra pays attention very well and follows directions. </p><p>(The video was taken on my cell phone, so I apologize if the quality or camera-work aren't great.) In the video, the referee is standing on the left and her instructor (who runs the academy) is seated on the right. He's offering support and helping her remember what things to do to get out of the little boy's guard. Since she's pinned underneath, she makes frequent attempts to "bridge" by pushing her hips up so that she can get him off balance. After she pushes up, she can slide out from underneath him and make another move. Although this little boy is small, he's quite skilled since he's been training for a lot longer than Zahra. We reinforced what the instructor had told the kids and made sure Zahra knew that winning the match wasn't important. We wanted her to get out on the mat and make an effort of participating and trying her best. She did just that and we were really proud of her!</p><p> </p><p> </p>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-8693309809265015062011-02-06T09:14:00.000-08:002011-02-06T09:26:58.975-08:00Max's Birthday, et al.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C1xCXKr0w47vB9EY5-TDEFVcXruY6sg-uqy8jxaWrrW9rok5BSyOHOELXBHd1zx7_9AvDsRRqS8vArdBpAqqglb_M2AA_N-XV5ClrdV9O1dqnhyphenhyphen5IVjG8ZE2p5iBbN6R-b3B2-Y_x0v0/s1600/iPhone+-+First+pictures+-+Dec.+30%252C+2010+008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570626611255313586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C1xCXKr0w47vB9EY5-TDEFVcXruY6sg-uqy8jxaWrrW9rok5BSyOHOELXBHd1zx7_9AvDsRRqS8vArdBpAqqglb_M2AA_N-XV5ClrdV9O1dqnhyphenhyphen5IVjG8ZE2p5iBbN6R-b3B2-Y_x0v0/s400/iPhone+-+First+pictures+-+Dec.+30%252C+2010+008.JPG" /></a> Wow! I can't believe I haven't posted a blog since Halloween. I've been super busy and haven't had much time to pause and reflect. Right now I should be reading for school or putting laundry away or preparing my list for the grocery store, but I decided to take a small break to share a few things.<br /><br />On December 26, we celebrated Max's 2nd birthday at home with family. I baked a cake and frosted it myself. Homemade cakes usually taste better than store bought ones... but I didn't make this until the last minute and then Willie didn't want to wait for it to cool completely before I frosted it, so pieces of cake got all mixed up in the frosting. It didn't look that good, but it was still yummy!<br /><br />And, about a month after Max's birthday, he pretty much potty-trained himself in a day. No kidding. I'll spare details but basically he hated being in wet diapers and would insist you change him immediately. I gave him an opportunity to sit on the potty and voila! instant success. The next day Saige babysat for me and Max kept using the bathroom by telling us when he needed to go. Nights, nap times, and going in public bathrooms still need work, but for the most part, he's doing quite well. We didn't even need to use an incentive for him like we did with Zahra (no mini M&Ms necessary). He just seemed super proud of himself every time you would praise him. It seemed to be enough so it was really neat that it happened so fast. It wasn't even on my radar. I had no plans of potty training and didn't think he was ready since he doesn't talk very much and definitely still needs help pulling pants up and down. But he is still able to communicate when he needs help with the bathroom, which is enough.<br /><br />I'm still interested in getting Max therapy for his speech delay, but I'm waiting for nursing school to kind of even out. Once I find myself used to the routine, I'll work on scheduling appointments to get him some help. It seems that he's getting more frustrated about not being able to communicate and I'd like to have some professional help.<br /><br />Overall, the little guy is doing great and he's a fun, happy boy to be around... I can't believe he's 2 already. It doesn't seem so long ago that we took him home from the hospital and Zahra was calling him Max-and-Ruby.Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-19981078104484662392010-11-01T09:30:00.000-07:002010-11-01T10:29:09.841-07:00Halloween Time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieI2CAqnB4TZ8MVNMrv1od1ZL6edph7xcZ1f5yV96BgBPF8biUkHBKCg1ZJA_vQhRgBSNjFujeOT2twN8l5c7d5msc3bixj3lduuZOwFDHqjXbwnZKHe2oZlCO3fwczclSR4VyYdt2c2I1/s1600/PA310319.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623986326453666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieI2CAqnB4TZ8MVNMrv1od1ZL6edph7xcZ1f5yV96BgBPF8biUkHBKCg1ZJA_vQhRgBSNjFujeOT2twN8l5c7d5msc3bixj3lduuZOwFDHqjXbwnZKHe2oZlCO3fwczclSR4VyYdt2c2I1/s400/PA310319.JPG" /></a>Yesterday was Halloween and the Washington family had a great day! We woke up around 7, ate some breakfast, and took off for Disneyland. But first, on Friday...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGJ3UpCxrabhzIdwCN7Ua2M4DV8ky1wQvPxkTjuNPu_xhW6coiP-zhElB61EmQcexaBPc47rvqQD6fx1Vbv1OJXiwwuYnmZPudfCTm7uvjehnWlceDtyK0PVgeAirodVhQSoV-pB84efc/s1600/PA290275.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623877596324898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGJ3UpCxrabhzIdwCN7Ua2M4DV8ky1wQvPxkTjuNPu_xhW6coiP-zhElB61EmQcexaBPc47rvqQD6fx1Vbv1OJXiwwuYnmZPudfCTm7uvjehnWlceDtyK0PVgeAirodVhQSoV-pB84efc/s400/PA290275.JPG" /></a>There was a Halloween costume parade at Zahra's school. Unfortunately we didn't get any great pictures of her with her classmates, but this one of Max was pretty cute. Perhaps it was too early for him or maybe he just doesn't understand the whole costume concept, but he seemed really out of it on Friday morning. He just kind of stood around on the playground looking lost. We borrowed this adorable little dragon costume from Max's cousin Jordan, who wore it last year. Jordan's mom got it for only $6! Not only is it really cute, it was very warm, too, which is not always a quality found in many Halloween costumes. Max really doesn't like to wear hats or hoods usually, so I was really surprised that he kept the dragon head on every time we had the kids dressed up (four separate occasions).<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0JQ1419eR6CLB8ehXW98quJRClsA7s0UOF0CncGj1e6iPcioKnjhIgf1hsauFxRNdy9VHSpuM6z8ROrsMDudEb0xR7Qdep4S-TxLTmyzvJUE3xaYGoecg9CJUdayx70qlQL7Maoinn-V/s1600/PA290284.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623779388704914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0JQ1419eR6CLB8ehXW98quJRClsA7s0UOF0CncGj1e6iPcioKnjhIgf1hsauFxRNdy9VHSpuM6z8ROrsMDudEb0xR7Qdep4S-TxLTmyzvJUE3xaYGoecg9CJUdayx70qlQL7Maoinn-V/s400/PA290284.JPG" /></a> On Friday evening there was a Halloween party for kids at Willie's jiu jitsu academy. This happy picture was taken right before we walked in with the kids.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskpfgjR3hfyWY1kk02e4Fk8mmxzRMxHF8VLQXCeIulxUz1YR-ESxhb-dv3jAbUkhj8K25-MCTgA17l0gaNyU7wBnRXaYj7FSQoV5KQ6UPNmlT2xDxaIXregRFqkhyp7rkRviIrzwAXMMH/s1600/PA310293.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623669358829666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskpfgjR3hfyWY1kk02e4Fk8mmxzRMxHF8VLQXCeIulxUz1YR-ESxhb-dv3jAbUkhj8K25-MCTgA17l0gaNyU7wBnRXaYj7FSQoV5KQ6UPNmlT2xDxaIXregRFqkhyp7rkRviIrzwAXMMH/s400/PA310293.JPG" /></a> Halloween morning was when we started our celebration. We took this picture at Disneyland, where we had the kids wear their costumes.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgEisvmcdPKI4PMcoW506VMazP7gV2WfW3N8CDtnCwDJd_ROhTKRElcSH_R6nI6OHgWc3ldDgyWqPu13WCRQY_iRG3Rb1BO-a61H_XWIPL8MgmovrjtVfpBvH-NCSDmVHNXEHlecF9NdT/s1600/PA310297.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623554275286226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgEisvmcdPKI4PMcoW506VMazP7gV2WfW3N8CDtnCwDJd_ROhTKRElcSH_R6nI6OHgWc3ldDgyWqPu13WCRQY_iRG3Rb1BO-a61H_XWIPL8MgmovrjtVfpBvH-NCSDmVHNXEHlecF9NdT/s400/PA310297.JPG" /></a> Then, at half past ten, Princess Tiana had a performance in New Orleans Square at Disneyland. She sang a song with her jazz band and then took time to meet her fans.</div><div><br />(For those of you who haven't seen the movie yet, Tiana is the newest of Disney royalty from last year's movie "The Princess and the Frog." We were going to have Zahra be the princess and Max be the frog, but we couldn't find a frog costume anywhere. And then we borrowed that cute dragon costume from Jordan anyway...) </div><div> </div><div>Princess Tiana seemed so excited when she saw Zahra in her costume. She was very gracious and she took some extra time to talk to Zahra. Of course she was nice to all the kids in line, but I think she treated Zahra like a special princess in her own right. It was heartwarming to watch, listen, and see how excited Zahra got when it was her turn to take a picture.<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZM6jDFxz07aNQR1IsunpKNuIlBZK32ioB2XUbL-oz6K8gu9w1auA_46FMhufgZyiuUn0b5naD31d1B-BY3xa2_yAziJsc9K3B5a1QMvwoA6kzvbG1Z0_ll1PUjMvRwvbW8Fttw4IsFiO/s1600/PA310298.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623241650455410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZM6jDFxz07aNQR1IsunpKNuIlBZK32ioB2XUbL-oz6K8gu9w1auA_46FMhufgZyiuUn0b5naD31d1B-BY3xa2_yAziJsc9K3B5a1QMvwoA6kzvbG1Z0_ll1PUjMvRwvbW8Fttw4IsFiO/s400/PA310298.JPG" /></a> This one came out so beautiful! We're excited and definitely want to get this one printed.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNjf3w2T7voxbUu3h1GuDuVNPdRE34nWJE5hrLZxXrBGT8JcxnE0Yah4Peo8kwd9zextyDJ1rd9KcprM5vMq2DecmhAwLYMY3KnqQEGvtTKOLmrCwVReIKSdD0S5-YuDHhXXNvQR7izH5/s1600/PA310300.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534623083939560770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNjf3w2T7voxbUu3h1GuDuVNPdRE34nWJE5hrLZxXrBGT8JcxnE0Yah4Peo8kwd9zextyDJ1rd9KcprM5vMq2DecmhAwLYMY3KnqQEGvtTKOLmrCwVReIKSdD0S5-YuDHhXXNvQR7izH5/s400/PA310300.JPG" /></a> Then we decided to take a family picture with the two Princess Tianas.<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnnX4lwBv75wN1qGmhkgU7VU8DxUygiry6ERrzG2wh-f1I_ZHgq0Ka-rItaxthowvXdtvX5B5ZYO5cUJOLWBm8z21oWg0AblqGv0KH7k4WqmS4CyY0idJwORwYQPUqq0kotsQeH2UQ1M4/s1600/PA310302.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534622971321421426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnnX4lwBv75wN1qGmhkgU7VU8DxUygiry6ERrzG2wh-f1I_ZHgq0Ka-rItaxthowvXdtvX5B5ZYO5cUJOLWBm8z21oWg0AblqGv0KH7k4WqmS4CyY0idJwORwYQPUqq0kotsQeH2UQ1M4/s400/PA310302.JPG" /></a> Later we went across the park to ride our favorite, Space Mountain. It's always so dark inside the ride that you can't watch the expressions on Zahra's face as you're riding, so it's fun to see her here in one of the pictures they take for you. Usually she's too short to even be seen in these, so it's fun that you can see her face and she's even got her arm raised up! Wonder why Willie looks so scared, though...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7OR7cV9sFjrDG2Lc6SVdP_w4kGX1Ke_fiRX5ZCnZsFym7CzIhz7vEbOMy9P41BMrHryPvkBdUvvwsjfSwj_TTD9xb5chP7XksY-MCBUECw9wr7grvWq-5kiLENhlEoSj_w40SoQu5Iwt/s1600/PA310309.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534622866184412626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7OR7cV9sFjrDG2Lc6SVdP_w4kGX1Ke_fiRX5ZCnZsFym7CzIhz7vEbOMy9P41BMrHryPvkBdUvvwsjfSwj_TTD9xb5chP7XksY-MCBUECw9wr7grvWq-5kiLENhlEoSj_w40SoQu5Iwt/s400/PA310309.JPG" /></a> Then we went through Pixie Hollow to meet the Fairies. By this point, Zahra had decided to take her costume off and we just kept Max in his a little longer for a few more shots. But he didn't seem to warm up to the fairies very much.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxqmJYu5WgsX7raSUDwcGwseu6raUyzzivZeAFOTBOziD9J8Z1ykleSWVBvViTn6uXXXG9nie43Ut3pje8iP0M2ZWjdUSQ_ZXfn6BsDCbqEKBoMCc8ySlGFJyGh8uWvpWkzjT9dVIq90e/s1600/PA310312.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534622761209464962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxqmJYu5WgsX7raSUDwcGwseu6raUyzzivZeAFOTBOziD9J8Z1ykleSWVBvViTn6uXXXG9nie43Ut3pje8iP0M2ZWjdUSQ_ZXfn6BsDCbqEKBoMCc8ySlGFJyGh8uWvpWkzjT9dVIq90e/s400/PA310312.JPG" /></a>Zahra meeting Tinkerbell<br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DI2TYk8B_HJJqkw3WpmeDIrdKGi8lo5dJgbpWNABc9AZGcR2rC3_luLUWvY2MgTOnttH0Uosi2msPMGRylB0oyNrJ8EGYsF-U9O8ZQYriyb0RA824MNFdcFowWxJaqyNGh23VKCWZfbx/s1600/PA310318.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534622657524438882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DI2TYk8B_HJJqkw3WpmeDIrdKGi8lo5dJgbpWNABc9AZGcR2rC3_luLUWvY2MgTOnttH0Uosi2msPMGRylB0oyNrJ8EGYsF-U9O8ZQYriyb0RA824MNFdcFowWxJaqyNGh23VKCWZfbx/s400/PA310318.JPG" /></a>Here are the kids eating churros at the centermost point of the Disneyland park. (Note the little gold marker.) We had watched a documentary about Disneyland the day before and discovered something new to look for since we'd never known what it was before (if we had even looked at it).<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DzsQFa9jvk_uZir_-WisO9ZvLfAVVJUFiBXjm2Ne82LRFxV-14ZALn7fs106yu0QNcjLgKp7ghb24RYkX_djY93Z5QN55blZy2ihZ6S8ImdrUX4vY0oUj2J4cEc4slDjroQ2EjdBvYIL/s1600/PA310327.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534622467603485602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DzsQFa9jvk_uZir_-WisO9ZvLfAVVJUFiBXjm2Ne82LRFxV-14ZALn7fs106yu0QNcjLgKp7ghb24RYkX_djY93Z5QN55blZy2ihZ6S8ImdrUX4vY0oUj2J4cEc4slDjroQ2EjdBvYIL/s400/PA310327.JPG" /></a> After Disneyland, we went home to rest and watch a movie in the afternoon. Then Willie's cousin Terrace, Rachel, and their son Jordan came down from Riverside to go trick-or-treating with us. Here is Max demonstrating what he did in place of saying "Trick or treat!" He would hold up his little bucket for people to deposit candy in since he doesn't really talk very much. Willie said that a couple times Max did say something that sounded vaguely like what he was supposed to say. We also met up with our old neighbors and Zahra's friend Alysha and one of her friends and family.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgG-cLDzaX5NM0hdOdRSaQW-eGs78NQFT4VWAMJsyrM6b4npg2QJwCSqyp3aCG5WDyD1uRKOLdDRLNXBWSAjBXNQskInKrZICQ5-PwRoDXn-6aJwe79twO0c65kYmaaSTxyk7_DqBdOHq/s1600/PA310329.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534621431231577186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgG-cLDzaX5NM0hdOdRSaQW-eGs78NQFT4VWAMJsyrM6b4npg2QJwCSqyp3aCG5WDyD1uRKOLdDRLNXBWSAjBXNQskInKrZICQ5-PwRoDXn-6aJwe79twO0c65kYmaaSTxyk7_DqBdOHq/s400/PA310329.JPG" /></a> We went trick-or-treating in the neighborhood around Zahra's school. By the end of the night we had walked a mile and a half going door to door at all the houses that were lit up and decorated. Zahra had tons of fun with the other kids and was really happy and upbeat the whole time. I put a lot of layers on her so she wouldn't be cold and she never complained once that she was chilly. In this picture, she's so happy that she's skipping back to the sidewalk as her brother and dad make it up to the porch.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCV5EvC0cmYMCLJNkmb6zvqMe_XWsDoDLYf7d-VN0S74DVrTXRxAoQEMZvC5IdP7fRTOuP7bckEEStnKW54fLc3tONOfFpFK8nWZlKMzZJsu7_k1LvqJ_yTGWfVSdy1LIsYu4EGIMiKEdO/s1600/PA310330.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534621332217983522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCV5EvC0cmYMCLJNkmb6zvqMe_XWsDoDLYf7d-VN0S74DVrTXRxAoQEMZvC5IdP7fRTOuP7bckEEStnKW54fLc3tONOfFpFK8nWZlKMzZJsu7_k1LvqJ_yTGWfVSdy1LIsYu4EGIMiKEdO/s400/PA310330.JPG" /></a> After seeing Princess Tiana's dress and how it ballooned out at the waist, I had an idea for how we could enhance Zahra's little costume. When we came home, I ironed the dress and decided that we could have her wear a tutu underneath to make the dress stick out. Zahra thought it was a lot of fun and was happy to wear another item to make her dress look more like the one we saw earlier at Disneyland.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VEif4IcAn6DiuYD6RmCd88XmdYnktHbi6hVNEzt40HWvn3mBO2nAPBpSUgQ3_b681NcDvefqO9qTHGG9qW4b8lphUhyXO-0jq7I33P3h0qQNlu8tz0YU9bmftd07RUg_gQjw9imVR-tT/s1600/PA310331.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534621220051302786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VEif4IcAn6DiuYD6RmCd88XmdYnktHbi6hVNEzt40HWvn3mBO2nAPBpSUgQ3_b681NcDvefqO9qTHGG9qW4b8lphUhyXO-0jq7I33P3h0qQNlu8tz0YU9bmftd07RUg_gQjw9imVR-tT/s400/PA310331.JPG" /></a> Zahra ran off before I could get a better picture with her cousin but at least Jordan looks happy here! He kept saying "Rooooar!" which was pretty cute.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvH9TVZQcs5-e0xv3GopdgUtn5wGEchpo3kJVKFn-JWXnrlVovveBCuWnpn4QHuzaWsYHINY4F75fes4UPsRv4uBVTfDeK54iQCRwy7_5I3n2kfh8niYrxaPpMubwwVVntlHKnZgZgY9yt/s1600/PA310336.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534621048914029554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvH9TVZQcs5-e0xv3GopdgUtn5wGEchpo3kJVKFn-JWXnrlVovveBCuWnpn4QHuzaWsYHINY4F75fes4UPsRv4uBVTfDeK54iQCRwy7_5I3n2kfh8niYrxaPpMubwwVVntlHKnZgZgY9yt/s400/PA310336.JPG" /></a> Last year Zahra was scared of a lot of the Halloween decorations and didn't really want to go up to any of the houses without a handheld escort, but this year she seemed interested in all of the different things people had in their yards. Max, on the other hand, was extremely weary of things, even cute little ghosts like this one. I think he wasn't sure if they were real or not since they were making noise. <div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6dhbrUpl0rvX0L7moCJaqV9jidn8OkJnyfr0nAqSoUqD-ZOjqeOsWQ92vmK4ScuXJ5_eC3U-ErDoziuBY73q-zn1MxKcItbpW3Q9vhKulquxS8wIwuo-kvH4t0vxATcb1ZxH9y2GwP1j/s1600/PA310338.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534620171858632226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6dhbrUpl0rvX0L7moCJaqV9jidn8OkJnyfr0nAqSoUqD-ZOjqeOsWQ92vmK4ScuXJ5_eC3U-ErDoziuBY73q-zn1MxKcItbpW3Q9vhKulquxS8wIwuo-kvH4t0vxATcb1ZxH9y2GwP1j/s400/PA310338.JPG" /></a> Zahra and Alysha in front of a big pumpkin<br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGnB_5X_J6RL2ffr5gkSgKoG4aYCmeqUoVzd0o8wCp9lJpVCXjOJ1gum_LxADATUYZvhTMGrtMdDlk0rS4yZGFLqZm2o3yBDjWlScPAfThHzLyrdVHTLjCFd94t9jABwkGVWiZ1F3QPcL/s1600/PA310340.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534619884413712690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGnB_5X_J6RL2ffr5gkSgKoG4aYCmeqUoVzd0o8wCp9lJpVCXjOJ1gum_LxADATUYZvhTMGrtMdDlk0rS4yZGFLqZm2o3yBDjWlScPAfThHzLyrdVHTLjCFd94t9jABwkGVWiZ1F3QPcL/s400/PA310340.JPG" /></a> And Max couldn't quite make it through the whole night... By the time I set him up in the stroller, he easily slid in and sat down like it was the best thing. I thought if I gave him the flashlight to hold that he would have more fun sitting down and not joining in with the older kids, but I don't think he even cared because he was so tired.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvZ39XjgHCPumH6pvDRwe7g_sPQT9HGHAGpw9BYc3NTYRg83RgkyaXCTo4rEqoMuN0d-kxi2bBM0uJp_o7TdJKQp2geCOf4mQX5HvsWCZEUTZJkOGLgSy_zGY9vEATVtXu5NiaM-I-Fg1/s1600/PA310342.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534619696185807794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvZ39XjgHCPumH6pvDRwe7g_sPQT9HGHAGpw9BYc3NTYRg83RgkyaXCTo4rEqoMuN0d-kxi2bBM0uJp_o7TdJKQp2geCOf4mQX5HvsWCZEUTZJkOGLgSy_zGY9vEATVtXu5NiaM-I-Fg1/s400/PA310342.JPG" /></a> Our little princess shows off her candy riches. We kept having to empty her little bucket into a pillowcase that Willie brought with us because she ran out of room over and over. By the end of the night, the pillowcase was so heavy it probably weighed three or four pounds. Granted it was from both Max and Zahra's buckets, but it was still a <em>lot </em>of candy. Overall, it was a <em>really </em>fun day -- visiting Disneyland and then trick-or-treating with family and friends. Since I don't remember much from Halloweens when I was a kid, this was definitely the best Halloween I have had in a long time. It was a great day!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-17696258665723707412010-09-27T09:10:00.000-07:002010-09-27T09:16:49.555-07:00A Work of Art<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjL9Qedd9yLhuuiCZp1dZcPNShfhY5Dofp0s15iYlNZeZfuyTO1LHGParLV0dVvaiaJfvFJyRmpVydbtodZeJVTqKey9jvKGRozcxIEINtjNmQFfirsy2BKzbSfHmoYrbA5u5yGrNvVju/s1600/Daddy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521626618400862258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjL9Qedd9yLhuuiCZp1dZcPNShfhY5Dofp0s15iYlNZeZfuyTO1LHGParLV0dVvaiaJfvFJyRmpVydbtodZeJVTqKey9jvKGRozcxIEINtjNmQFfirsy2BKzbSfHmoYrbA5u5yGrNvVju/s400/Daddy.jpg" /></a>I was sitting on the couch Friday afternoon, looking through the papers that had come home in Zahra's Friday Folder. There were some messy math assignments, flyers for various events, and this little gem.<br /><br />Zahra was playing quietly with toys at the dining table. I thought this drawing was amazing.<br /><br />"Hey, Zahra! This is awesome!" I yelled as I held up the picture. She came over to explain. All by itself, I thought it was impressive. Then Zahra told me that it was a picture of her Daddy. I realized immediately that those black lines sticking out of his head were supposed to be his dreadlocks. When I heard it was supposed to represent her dad, I thought the picture was even better. She said something about him picking up books (represented by the squares with the lines in them?) and her wanting a puppy (a few litters at the bottom?).<br /><br />Anyway, I thought I'd share since I think this drawing is really cool. I'm going to look for a frame so we can make it more permanent than hanging on the fridge.Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-79876439852535738492010-09-11T13:08:00.001-07:002010-09-11T13:34:46.603-07:00Soccer 2010Today was the first game of this soccer season. Zahra is playing for the Chili Peppers this year. She's now in the AYSO U8 division which means she's playing with girls that are 6 and 7 years old. Some of the girls on the team have definitely been playing for awhile and really understand the game well.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOHJmtgegmCERbl9Z8jMPQPUYt0TimauGz7pmfvlTwBJ9oqfAgKqwShMjJek8gx8qezpmqkj4HNO75TeUks52mHdfIjdHhWkMXnUtEtf5UCQYjSnpL_KnBgTDkOjh5Q0qyGDdSLi3VKpJ/s1600/P9110221.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515750882450377122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOHJmtgegmCERbl9Z8jMPQPUYt0TimauGz7pmfvlTwBJ9oqfAgKqwShMjJek8gx8qezpmqkj4HNO75TeUks52mHdfIjdHhWkMXnUtEtf5UCQYjSnpL_KnBgTDkOjh5Q0qyGDdSLi3VKpJ/s400/P9110221.JPG" /></a> After last year's experience with soccer, I was hesitant to sign her up again. She barely moved last year, paralyzed on the field with the fear of getting hit by the ball. Her head seemed up in the clouds or down in the grass, almost completely oblivious to the fact the game was happening around her. This year, when Willie and I asked her about signing up back in the spring, she seemed enthusiastic and excited, so we did it. Before team practices offically began, Willie started taking Zahra out to kick the soccer ball around. He ran through drills and had her practice dribbling and stopping the ball with her foot (as she so nicely demonstrates above). I think this was a great idea because it got her ready for some of the same things they'd be working on at practice. When I took her to her first practice, she did great. She listened to the coach, ran as fast as she could, followed all the directions, got into the game during a scrimmage, everything she needed to do. Her skills weren't as good as the other players, but she definitely earned an 'A' for effort. I thought this year we had turned things around and that this season would be totally different.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9UcqDK4z09quKl_BAKm68xeFY-rvBF2dUrOVhH6WaB6Q5OBU_TDL7iYOQkI-JifBPppB6qQmIU90y8bjmxbIAMx5ie1tfqJIo5G8AdUHm6R90kcf48GBIfeqEWtnVBiy1RksNJgGBco6/s1600/P9110219.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515750785403148994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9UcqDK4z09quKl_BAKm68xeFY-rvBF2dUrOVhH6WaB6Q5OBU_TDL7iYOQkI-JifBPppB6qQmIU90y8bjmxbIAMx5ie1tfqJIo5G8AdUHm6R90kcf48GBIfeqEWtnVBiy1RksNJgGBco6/s400/P9110219.JPG" /></a> Then this happened. Zahra, immobile with fear, standing almost still as a statue on the soccer field again. My shoulders slumped, my hopes stared to wither. Everyone cheered her on and tried to encourage her. No change. For an entire quarter, she barely moved from the exact spot where the coach had placed her to defend. She didn't run to the ball, she didn't kick it if it rolled right in front of her. During a break, I asked her what was up. She said the field was bigger and that it made her nervous to have the ball coming towards her. I told her that she had shin guards and shoes on. I told her she wouldn't get hit in the face and if she <em>did </em>get hurt, we would take care of her. She asked if she could have a big prize if she was injured. I caved in and told her yes. She asked for one of those little motorized cars that kids can drive. I told her if she was hurt, we would definitely look into it. I just wanted her to play! After that and some more words of encouragement from a brother of one of the players, her attitude seemed to turn around. She never ended up making contact with the ball this game, but she started running towards it, following her team, sort of getting into it. That was <em>way </em>more than she did last season, so I'm hoping we're off to a better start. She does such a great job during scrimmages at practice, we just need to get her to do that on the field during the real games.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kOUZzxzWmh4_DqocPPiLfmtsVUsSR-eDA1yupXM5p565Y8DI1X7w8c2yD-XSsVpFzfYFaObe3iuLLKEjDNcLzs6t7SQmNzkweVW7Olb2N7Cre91yF8C7pqPvLHWRaBiCNN57Q4a2fqcM/s1600/P9110223.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515750664321393746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kOUZzxzWmh4_DqocPPiLfmtsVUsSR-eDA1yupXM5p565Y8DI1X7w8c2yD-XSsVpFzfYFaObe3iuLLKEjDNcLzs6t7SQmNzkweVW7Olb2N7Cre91yF8C7pqPvLHWRaBiCNN57Q4a2fqcM/s400/P9110223.JPG" /></a> After the game, on the way to the car, Max and Zahra kicked the ball back and forth. Max already has quite the leg on him and we think he'd love to play, too. Just a couple more years and he can start playing on his own team.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibArQHXQmZizoO7Xo_OgrPB9fyabUhwSZHH_j4lKoEM_BHKn18fBPmj3gVQ5xbG09p6I5L1e9TylXrBTbMyVyI2AH1TQPdmnEVGYP15LL30Q20brJMjWGfHznZ7_iWN9YsXAYlcr6Ok_LG/s1600/P9110224.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515750545765102994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibArQHXQmZizoO7Xo_OgrPB9fyabUhwSZHH_j4lKoEM_BHKn18fBPmj3gVQ5xbG09p6I5L1e9TylXrBTbMyVyI2AH1TQPdmnEVGYP15LL30Q20brJMjWGfHznZ7_iWN9YsXAYlcr6Ok_LG/s400/P9110224.JPG" /></a> In the end, our team lost the game (I think the score was 3-0), but most of the girls seemed to take it in stride. At one point, our goalie missed and the other team scored. The little girl seemed upset with herself for a minute, then she shook it off, and yelled, to no one in particular, "I'll try not to do that next time!" So hopefully Zahra will try better <em>her </em>next time. (We'll be out of town next week so we will be missing that game). At practice, she volunteered to keep the goal, so we'll see how that goes when she gets a turn. I'll keep you all posted...<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-77765277765125905142010-09-10T16:46:00.000-07:002010-09-10T17:40:52.334-07:00ArkLaTex TripOK, this post is arguably a few months late, but... better late than never? So I am finally getting around to posting some pictures from our June vacation to the south. We visited three states (Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas) in the space of a week. Yes, it was a lot of time driving around in a little rented bright red Chevy Aveo, but it wasn't nearly as bad as you might expect. For the most part, it was a really great trip. The best part was visiting Willie's family and getting to spend time with them.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_OE-HZFMCztryvpAM3djeUZQKbSYZ5WiciAVByGGWsgdVarLpYbrVn1gD9CRLC5pZGF2GS7isc9-a6wNIDVnVhkOm1abM2qGjZmny9vBNi3CDfjWqmsHKTD_-N0jofpgFRR7-MtSZyhB/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515440541569732834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_OE-HZFMCztryvpAM3djeUZQKbSYZ5WiciAVByGGWsgdVarLpYbrVn1gD9CRLC5pZGF2GS7isc9-a6wNIDVnVhkOm1abM2qGjZmny9vBNi3CDfjWqmsHKTD_-N0jofpgFRR7-MtSZyhB/s400/003.JPG" /></a> Here are the kids, waiting in the lobby of the rental car facility at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport. I think this was the only period (of three seconds) where they actually stayed in one spot. The little cars that I had gotten for Max to play with would zoom super-fast across this fully-waxed floor. Either that or Max thought actually <em>throwing </em>them as far as he could was great fun, much to my chagrin. <div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIFfa7UotpywuYlfUOjAIRVt-waIfCuxMYrf-FYupzAeqnNlpj_w-kjSkbjNY-_EOhRCJy1mZiFIfOMUf7BJYvhUXz3cFHqH9TAPS8Doi_UT4hCKPCiFHu9KzaRq_Jg6AtLlKBSJrsvw2/s1600/023.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515440451843239474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIFfa7UotpywuYlfUOjAIRVt-waIfCuxMYrf-FYupzAeqnNlpj_w-kjSkbjNY-_EOhRCJy1mZiFIfOMUf7BJYvhUXz3cFHqH9TAPS8Doi_UT4hCKPCiFHu9KzaRq_Jg6AtLlKBSJrsvw2/s400/023.JPG" /></a> We found a little stowaway that fit in our carry-on suitcase! She was playing in the hotel room and would completely close the top. She's so little that it didn't even bulge out! After flying into Dallas, we spent the night in Allen, TX where Willie's Aunt Regina and Uncle Ralph live. The next morning, we woke up really early and got on the road, in hopes to avoid morning traffic on our way out of town. We drove all the way down to New Orleans and arrived around 3 in the afternoon.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgbEZYFlK1du3OPDhPhGvyli84erjE4cdLoarY2dF-0GWTgZxhAWhyBVIp_pQjlwgeQlhL33miv9SnuRbQ9RiIcceFAGKu0EzhCge93zW8gRfvffmXHtiDTaL_hp9bPTC3HzT-U5UYJVP/s1600/029.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515440334387662498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgbEZYFlK1du3OPDhPhGvyli84erjE4cdLoarY2dF-0GWTgZxhAWhyBVIp_pQjlwgeQlhL33miv9SnuRbQ9RiIcceFAGKu0EzhCge93zW8gRfvffmXHtiDTaL_hp9bPTC3HzT-U5UYJVP/s400/029.JPG" /></a>Willie, Max, and silly-face Zahra in Jackson Square. New Orleans.<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVpvn5zBrrj33ctLic3KaBjnDD5ozBSbV8d-mxss88GgW2Lx7Runu4qB9byLIAxUAU3bqK17S9TN5UTK06sA-OJYi6DcMeqf2Yl6vNG_XZc4KnMxs1Lo0RtG1oBrRo247cYrDN56ZfvYi/s1600/037.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515440207152870946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVpvn5zBrrj33ctLic3KaBjnDD5ozBSbV8d-mxss88GgW2Lx7Runu4qB9byLIAxUAU3bqK17S9TN5UTK06sA-OJYi6DcMeqf2Yl6vNG_XZc4KnMxs1Lo0RtG1oBrRo247cYrDN56ZfvYi/s400/037.JPG" /></a> Zahra eating beignets at Cafe Du Monde (New Orleans). We've made beignets from scratch at Auntie Colleen's and those were delicious. I tried making them with Zahra after the "Princess and the Frog" movie came out and those were... edible. By far, I think the best beignets are the Mickey-shaped ones they have at Cafe Orleans in Disneyland. So light. So fluffy. So delicious! So of course, we had to stop by Cafe Du Monde (world famous?) since we were in New Orleans. I was very disappointed. When I had them the last time I was there (pre-Katrina), I didn't really have anything to compare them to so I thought they were OK. This time I thought they were terrible! Not even worth it. Then, at the end of our dessert, I had to go to the bathroom because I knew walking back to our hotel would take a long time. Yuck! The kitchen was a disaster! It made me really not want to eat them again.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoDEHMDLXGSKYJatpnEu5nxmtZg1zhYR8ZOjqkQ9igkl23MUURSwbQzdmQ6kjT_bzVOpNeANNTVEGWvJwIqOpoFX8uJV4xfFql9GL2sNkb1Xzq8havIPtRSBTt8hHzgl4HC5WTa0B_IzL/s1600/039.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515440107299972194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoDEHMDLXGSKYJatpnEu5nxmtZg1zhYR8ZOjqkQ9igkl23MUURSwbQzdmQ6kjT_bzVOpNeANNTVEGWvJwIqOpoFX8uJV4xfFql9GL2sNkb1Xzq8havIPtRSBTt8hHzgl4HC5WTa0B_IzL/s400/039.JPG" /></a> Mostly, Max and Zahra enjoyed the powdered sugar. They didn't really even dig into the doughy part of the beignet. But they loved it. So at least they enjoyed the experience. We walked around the French Quarter the next day and kept asking if places served beignets. No one did! The only place that seemed to have them was Cafe Du Monde. For being the state dessert or whatever, I didn't really understand the monopoly on the beignet market. I wanted to try different ones to compare, the way we did comparing malasadas when we were in Honolulu. Sorely disappointed with the beignet experience in New Orleans. I will continue to crave the ones from Disneyland.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFBP6l_Br3YRoeExO0hnNq6motUECl7x7jmeWYXNeGU0bX1JJuVe_C5XyAxYFHo09w4llpNpGdH3KfV1dz3BA0ErJzwOr2KgHic_3shJIFDVtERc1gUxlHOLCmTgAzW9cyd1MFn9uXEly/s1600/041.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515439999773955330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFBP6l_Br3YRoeExO0hnNq6motUECl7x7jmeWYXNeGU0bX1JJuVe_C5XyAxYFHo09w4llpNpGdH3KfV1dz3BA0ErJzwOr2KgHic_3shJIFDVtERc1gUxlHOLCmTgAzW9cyd1MFn9uXEly/s400/041.JPG" /></a> All right, so you had to pay to take a picture with this <em>character</em>, but Zahra really wanted to do it! I didn't think it was worth $1, but Willie wanted to make her happy. It was funny because I think she was really intrigued by him, although you can't really tell that from her expression. After we walked away, she seemed jazzed about the whole experience.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgS1048lAmI88Y0m6jkwFGdTwx35e8aFAeufDHodLw0oMQCzbmbwhyphenhyphen3TiiJ-GkGFyrCeQ6BEMMBqVKWA5MeWbriIjZNFzMgfahzBzoUGvmKsaB7h6pIYowOhqox72MYbYTYUWSiJVPZHw/s1600/083.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515439127794905586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgS1048lAmI88Y0m6jkwFGdTwx35e8aFAeufDHodLw0oMQCzbmbwhyphenhyphen3TiiJ-GkGFyrCeQ6BEMMBqVKWA5MeWbriIjZNFzMgfahzBzoUGvmKsaB7h6pIYowOhqox72MYbYTYUWSiJVPZHw/s400/083.JPG" /></a> Willie and the kids in front of the Mississippi. We visited Mardi Gras World to look at all the floats that are made for the holiday. The floats were housed in this huge warehouse that was open to the outside which meant that it was <em>super </em>hot in there, probably around 90 degrees. Max was suffering from a cold so he was miserable and cranky. He just kept screaming and fussing. That with the heat made the whole experience difficult. I think Zahra got a kick out of seeing the huge floats, though. <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5P3Yh_FEp9JWQAGcIa-GzBlbop31HTVaaRvKMpYN0Ew5w1j-GQpsUA-ajblko0HrFt4LzRHxjjRPI_NTea7_J-MDrEu8rdk0vrOR5AtdpnxirR0qIrlQRIVMHfT-GjjJtznUfuirRtbl/s1600/103.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438875785597042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5P3Yh_FEp9JWQAGcIa-GzBlbop31HTVaaRvKMpYN0Ew5w1j-GQpsUA-ajblko0HrFt4LzRHxjjRPI_NTea7_J-MDrEu8rdk0vrOR5AtdpnxirR0qIrlQRIVMHfT-GjjJtznUfuirRtbl/s400/103.JPG" /></a> My favorite picture of the whole trip! Zahra in front of a gold-covered Buddha that was probably on a float at some point. Inside the air conditioned gift shop of Mardi Gras World.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrkE7wEuEU2b4e714Shk4KIhfRMYo7x7BEnzGCAFIM_6DPYlB33nR7hPb_M9cfYTdRDi8vqKgcsyIWs1uYgiJ5rfGCdO7j4MaSAGHSKUqWFMY5qud6R7OFUv3t0oK-VXu_TCM3aw8M2qn/s1600/150.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438765156685138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrkE7wEuEU2b4e714Shk4KIhfRMYo7x7BEnzGCAFIM_6DPYlB33nR7hPb_M9cfYTdRDi8vqKgcsyIWs1uYgiJ5rfGCdO7j4MaSAGHSKUqWFMY5qud6R7OFUv3t0oK-VXu_TCM3aw8M2qn/s400/150.JPG" /></a> Max playing inside the window in the hotel in New Orleans.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZ5aJFQgkRB5AkI2qKAFbzYN5lIypOoe2DY913C2XYvs_cslEi770aAU6VbIGT8VDD3UNo0gdWB58RlU8O48GsgH7Vhj2HN7kVMXNE09mFjQ6o7F-d2UJurjLeDg1AJ6a2g1oMvuhaZSh/s1600/156.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438641833908514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZ5aJFQgkRB5AkI2qKAFbzYN5lIypOoe2DY913C2XYvs_cslEi770aAU6VbIGT8VDD3UNo0gdWB58RlU8O48GsgH7Vhj2HN7kVMXNE09mFjQ6o7F-d2UJurjLeDg1AJ6a2g1oMvuhaZSh/s400/156.JPG" /></a>Family picture at Jackson Square (New Orleans)<br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8GMsAqgEKjRq1ZGqx6PzkD51FMhCHE3zk6qZA1O5WNh-r4K7WgKISzIR0fmjZwCWkWk6NAHHdr5zvNreWf9Pd3VCMwtdGlbExC229EhVulafIAcTDZOA9dVbq79h63VUEClUswWtkIw1/s1600/163.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438522623426546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8GMsAqgEKjRq1ZGqx6PzkD51FMhCHE3zk6qZA1O5WNh-r4K7WgKISzIR0fmjZwCWkWk6NAHHdr5zvNreWf9Pd3VCMwtdGlbExC229EhVulafIAcTDZOA9dVbq79h63VUEClUswWtkIw1/s400/163.JPG" /></a> Reading in bed in New Orleans with sleeping Max. He just crawled up and laid down and went to sleep on my arm. I love this part of vacation! I got to read so much. I probably read over 400 pages of this book while we were on vacation. (Thanks, Maryanna, for letting me borrow the latest Elizabeth George!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyFVRnxitIFse-8jY7rSx9ivcd9_K2cX9iZrs7LZdDuBBH72gRBTFgHmlndOwSLYy38w9eMf7Ec1AA5G56C7aJc1UOFlbJcWSJlqruZHS4xo5DlC8NP36uSQaHKRJgG5tOkZpTyYvSCKd/s1600/171.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438404450780674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyFVRnxitIFse-8jY7rSx9ivcd9_K2cX9iZrs7LZdDuBBH72gRBTFgHmlndOwSLYy38w9eMf7Ec1AA5G56C7aJc1UOFlbJcWSJlqruZHS4xo5DlC8NP36uSQaHKRJgG5tOkZpTyYvSCKd/s400/171.JPG" /></a> After an afternoon and a day in New Orleans, we left to drive north. We had lunch in Baton Rouge with Willie's cousin Chasity.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVnCwbtMRxa-MxKle6Fp84bes2O20B1uiIyFFiSeOdB9Es_exr2yp4GcSre6AJEn3bW5D4JCJiksraDujuc_fJyu3nimt58jthS9TVMShbPSJz9WS96Ri_OuZI3VCGt7eVh4lr8xhuDZe/s1600/174.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438297558928354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVnCwbtMRxa-MxKle6Fp84bes2O20B1uiIyFFiSeOdB9Es_exr2yp4GcSre6AJEn3bW5D4JCJiksraDujuc_fJyu3nimt58jthS9TVMShbPSJz9WS96Ri_OuZI3VCGt7eVh4lr8xhuDZe/s400/174.JPG" /></a> After lunch we drove to Shreveport. Max had this bag of chips and he climbed up into the bed by himself. The pillow was there and he just made himself comfortable, popped his hand in the bag and started eating the chips. It was pretty hilarious.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuL4AL-7UDpio07TFrlxA4canjLg3R-tCU2LbE5d6QRDS1gAr41ozXzqtc8Hh5IqBF2RwYLPIzfN9nJ_7E3eUXdw99JTUWVMtZe19G_NkL_6aRj9TYE-61WZuqpukxUh-jeqxD7xHhnXd/s1600/178.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515438011776241794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuL4AL-7UDpio07TFrlxA4canjLg3R-tCU2LbE5d6QRDS1gAr41ozXzqtc8Hh5IqBF2RwYLPIzfN9nJ_7E3eUXdw99JTUWVMtZe19G_NkL_6aRj9TYE-61WZuqpukxUh-jeqxD7xHhnXd/s400/178.JPG" /></a> When we went to Willie's Aunt Shirley's house, Zahra just made herself at home right away. I thought she might be kind of shy, but maybe because we said it was family and she heard there were kids, she just ran right back into her cousin Christian's room. They were instant best friends. It was so cute that they just started playing together like they had been lifelong friends!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjibqiJ64pBNAUr3E6htc6Z2KZSvHoWX_k85aDGrc1YTZe7z2RjkYa0i3SYJUSGvh8Fu1DYUnPyllcKgivk_D16tIxR6ZXarLWr77yKUMg9gYDpDMH9SEMc4YMrne3vNrvIFSicDTkoWMI/s1600/179.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515437883055581970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjibqiJ64pBNAUr3E6htc6Z2KZSvHoWX_k85aDGrc1YTZe7z2RjkYa0i3SYJUSGvh8Fu1DYUnPyllcKgivk_D16tIxR6ZXarLWr77yKUMg9gYDpDMH9SEMc4YMrne3vNrvIFSicDTkoWMI/s400/179.JPG" /></a> At the Boardwalk in Bossier City with family from Bessie's side of the family.<br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUGTjeEgfgZf5H5ZpTqrM64OJns8CFexy6Ihca464kpkdoWolYRxKKxX1RMLg0zdSvNU5ZJrejHqBOEhQFU6zfIQI0afN8JS55dGd7iKSryK18KAe11cCR1Wr20nlPOeLBRrPnQ-50yJr/s1600/231.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515437735971136754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUGTjeEgfgZf5H5ZpTqrM64OJns8CFexy6Ihca464kpkdoWolYRxKKxX1RMLg0zdSvNU5ZJrejHqBOEhQFU6zfIQI0afN8JS55dGd7iKSryK18KAe11cCR1Wr20nlPOeLBRrPnQ-50yJr/s400/231.JPG" /></a>After a few days in Shreveport, we drove north some more and went to Texarkana (a city which exists across the state line in both Texas and Arkansas). Willie's grandmother (Big Mama) lives on the Arkansas side. Here we are on the porch in Big Mama's backyard with family from his dad's side.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKis7gK-T-cWAKxwdKA6d_NofoKBftd1FufvSq2IRJJZU5_bim6kUDDosYet6uty2LH-n1WzSrckzjD5OSo1n9ULq4eh5fbRsa9qAut1jjX9BVIb18g5wmd_Cgcy6fb19C20KzXOdkwlLx/s1600/232.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515437098497068658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKis7gK-T-cWAKxwdKA6d_NofoKBftd1FufvSq2IRJJZU5_bim6kUDDosYet6uty2LH-n1WzSrckzjD5OSo1n9ULq4eh5fbRsa9qAut1jjX9BVIb18g5wmd_Cgcy6fb19C20KzXOdkwlLx/s400/232.JPG" /></a> Zahra and Max with their great-grandma, Big Mama.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKko-2i-AYBMoVb29Vvo8bkXqMelb6_n4Hgo7L9hx20K7VghIskxW1al8Gdg6wheOIlaAZM0SN6fU9-B08McAUSfyW35Xx2L-atCWW0eL7atsmW0FdwT1ubaX-aGHgECpr0x5hHiru_s6c/s1600/234.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515436975243364562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKko-2i-AYBMoVb29Vvo8bkXqMelb6_n4Hgo7L9hx20K7VghIskxW1al8Gdg6wheOIlaAZM0SN6fU9-B08McAUSfyW35Xx2L-atCWW0eL7atsmW0FdwT1ubaX-aGHgECpr0x5hHiru_s6c/s400/234.JPG" /></a> Zahra and her cousin Cozy (spelling?)... </div><div>Overall we had a great trip!</div><div>Fun times!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-64073392811127000832010-09-10T16:12:00.001-07:002010-09-10T16:42:13.147-07:00First Day of 1st Grade<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQGhtmlWl4cQwmxvjEM_QTBKHW0z3IMqm6TFgS_x7rDfo6YtfdTXXI-gTBYyL1T74mIvlHPbk47Ry-4hWkLNMmTWrMIe34-JOMQ62STKgvNhlHor25h5zNibNQJglVaukdjS8dPVYZN3K/s1600/P9080202.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515427587143822434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQGhtmlWl4cQwmxvjEM_QTBKHW0z3IMqm6TFgS_x7rDfo6YtfdTXXI-gTBYyL1T74mIvlHPbk47Ry-4hWkLNMmTWrMIe34-JOMQ62STKgvNhlHor25h5zNibNQJglVaukdjS8dPVYZN3K/s400/P9080202.JPG" /></a> Wednesday, September 8, was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Zahra's</span> first day of 1st Grade. This "first day" was very different than last year. I just looked at the blog entry from the first day of kindergarten and saw how happy and excited she was to start a new school year. This time around, every time you would ask her how she felt about starting first grade, her reply was always: "I'm nervous." I would ask, "But aren't you a little excited, too?" and she'd just shake her head and say, "I'm nervous." When I woke her up on the first day at 6:45, the first thing she said was "My heart is beating really fast." And it was. I put my hand up to her chest and I could feel her heart was pounding. Perhaps mentioning "It's the first day of school!" the minute I woke her up was not the best idea. I wanted to take another picture of her in front of the school sign, but she refused to let me take one without Max in the shot. She was really excited about her new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scooby</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Doo</span> lunch box. (It's fun to me that she likes one of my favorite childhood cartoons. Maybe she'll grow up to love reading mysteries, too.) <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFRbc0Rlo5hiTEUJTCVymrmeKfWTzzVgMAJ22YxvBFvhQ57Yamuqvv6lSRTYXxOZx9fwcKeACigGOrFNTkYONeas0x7pbD3fW7fxS9wVpQz0GpV22I0PDu91QaIqy9HPo8XiI-XlruBmK/s1600/P9080207.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515427467508119506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFRbc0Rlo5hiTEUJTCVymrmeKfWTzzVgMAJ22YxvBFvhQ57Yamuqvv6lSRTYXxOZx9fwcKeACigGOrFNTkYONeas0x7pbD3fW7fxS9wVpQz0GpV22I0PDu91QaIqy9HPo8XiI-XlruBmK/s400/P9080207.JPG" /></a> We got <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Zahra</span> some new school clothes and she picked out this skirt at Old Navy by herself. (I put the rest of the outfit together and she didn't seem to care as long as she got to wear this skirt on the first day.) I wanted her to wear the black patent leather Mary <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Janes</span> with this but I couldn't find them that morning. (Turns out, they were in my trunk, which I discovered when I went to take the umbrella stroller out.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhOlT2fa7sB7t6E6OrOyHA54FJVi8WyhoOECeUxT9UAo-VUigg7UB0e1bQnKgwKEgJWl1SjcQtC9CpuMA97UlhpGpkjzH5PqqKuZhezubrH8pixcMtsutoooKI25e_uczJ7YHgOF2yUzS/s1600/P9080208.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515427335953298898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhOlT2fa7sB7t6E6OrOyHA54FJVi8WyhoOECeUxT9UAo-VUigg7UB0e1bQnKgwKEgJWl1SjcQtC9CpuMA97UlhpGpkjzH5PqqKuZhezubrH8pixcMtsutoooKI25e_uczJ7YHgOF2yUzS/s400/P9080208.JPG" /></a> A brother-sister tete-a-tete before school. (I wanted to cut and paste with the correct accents, but it won't let me. Grrr...)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRETdk2mFUTE0QS89W-lqPGgmuulabVqyP4fQFT-el2oVMmQgv3mc70c5O9zhn_xwm_0PXKIrAqYhEACN8ZFCfxMEjE3M1axSHbquK2t7hbUauCJTVDKKSnyMQi0cjAzD3LRD50nPzyb1/s1600/P9080214.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515427192189008146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRETdk2mFUTE0QS89W-lqPGgmuulabVqyP4fQFT-el2oVMmQgv3mc70c5O9zhn_xwm_0PXKIrAqYhEACN8ZFCfxMEjE3M1axSHbquK2t7hbUauCJTVDKKSnyMQi0cjAzD3LRD50nPzyb1/s400/P9080214.JPG" /></a> Zahra did this for a long time after Mrs. Gibson asked the kids to line up. She kept telling me she didn't want to go inside. Typical first-day jitters, I think. I had an appointment with the dentist at the exact time she was getting out of school (my crown was finally cemented after a month's worth of back and forth appointments). I called Bessie's phone when I was on my way back to work and asked to talk to Zahra to see how her first day went. She seemed upbeat and happy. The adjective she used to describe how the day went was "good." Nothing to worry about so that made me happy. I think she just didn't know what to expect and that's what was making her nervous. When she realized it would be a similar experience as last year, I think she felt right at home. Being at a school that was familiar and seeing kids she knew probably made things even better. She only has two or three kids in her class this year that were with her last year. But she gets to see her friends at recess so I think that makes her happy.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeRVZA3ckGb6e5VgGbjTih19KCkJKsNBU37J8hB8cEfBrCKF18QpNe3AnFXMmeNEK1HaV_CLnGqNs28eXehjUyHNryfEotl_13YpR9OXIUG-pXts3W3at2gAyMvGLPKsQ_l09kVAuTvN8/s1600/P9080217.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515427043837384018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeRVZA3ckGb6e5VgGbjTih19KCkJKsNBU37J8hB8cEfBrCKF18QpNe3AnFXMmeNEK1HaV_CLnGqNs28eXehjUyHNryfEotl_13YpR9OXIUG-pXts3W3at2gAyMvGLPKsQ_l09kVAuTvN8/s400/P9080217.JPG" /></a> Walking in the door to 1st Grade. Somehow in my mind, kindergarten felt like an extension of her as a "little girl." Like, oh... she's just a kindergartener. Something about 1st Grade makes me feel like I have a "big kid" now. While I understand there was definitely a lot happening in kindergarten academically, in retrospect, it seems like a big practice year to get ready for what's happening now. Sometimes I think it wasn't that long ago that she was a super tiny little baby in an isolette, wrapped up in blankets, hooked up to machines and monitors in the hospital, and here she is, starting 1st Grade. It feels both fast and slow at the same time. I feel that I have been very lucky to spend so much time with her and experience so much of her life with her. (Working full time for the month of August made me really realize the difference of my usual part-time schedule.) And on the other hand, time seems to have sped by, how she was in physical therapy as a baby, speech and PT as a toddler, then preschool, kindergarten flew by, and now a whole new grade already. </div><div> </div><div>While we read a lot together over the summer, Zahra still has a long way to go to catch up academically. Both of us were excited to do worksheets in the beginning of the summer, practicing her alphabet and writing 1-30. As the summer went by and our daily schedule got mixed up with vacations and swimming practice and work changes, our enthusiasm started to wane. By the end of the summer, I couldn't get her to do practice school work at all. Every day at bedtime, though, we picked up the Easy Readers we had borrowed and continued to work on those. Reading those "sight words" helped reinforce what she had learned and I saw a lot of progress in her continuing to pick up words and remember them the next time we read the story. </div><div> </div><div>I asked her about her first three days of school and she described some of the assessments they were doing. She said she had trouble with the alphabet and number drills. I'm interested to see where her placement is and what her new teacher recommends to further her progress. I talked to her kindergarten teacher a little after school today and she said that she has already discussed Zahra with Mrs. Gibson and explained where things were left off. But that's all we know about 1st Grade for now. Until later...<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-3468927413294229322010-07-14T12:20:00.000-07:002010-07-14T12:29:12.051-07:00Baby Signs<p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzknwdfKf7OAAoSpkmuEQXM9TufGFL8iquqNFO--B7uLeZ3ldmeXILGtAVQFMr_VEWfBJTebl-SaC5Zb-HrGw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Here's a short video of all the signs that Max is using these days. By far, I think the two that help Max the most are "thirsty" and "hungry." Sometimes, the first thing he does in the morning, when he sits up in bed, is sign "hungry." It's really fun to watch a non-verbal toddler get his point across without having to use words. There have been a lot of times that I wouldn't think to give Max some juice, but out of the blue, he'll just point to his throat and say something that sounds like "dee-deeeee" to the unknowing bystander. But in our house, we know what he means. I'm trying to teach him signs that are close to the real ASL, but sometimes they're just too complicated for little hands. (Like the sign for "more" is hard for him to form, so it looks like he's clapping. In context, however, we know that he usually wants more food.) All in all, I think using signs are a great way to introduce a way to communicate for a little person that can't speak clearly yet.</p>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-30493375719974109372010-06-18T18:03:00.000-07:002010-06-18T18:20:52.207-07:00Last Day of Kindergarten<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_V7wUE0jENAvbKlUNq6wxlSbrDxJ1HEtmq-31F8SYa98xDJMOHneTRsoFfbkxIWO3GTwmK-95S1qFl56fA7FWxN7saom2tyFWc3jPvoFDGKvqbo92mNxOov-mQ-IPm86fbqSkF-rg41e/s1600/P6140387.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484285741786936178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_V7wUE0jENAvbKlUNq6wxlSbrDxJ1HEtmq-31F8SYa98xDJMOHneTRsoFfbkxIWO3GTwmK-95S1qFl56fA7FWxN7saom2tyFWc3jPvoFDGKvqbo92mNxOov-mQ-IPm86fbqSkF-rg41e/s400/P6140387.JPG" /></a> Today, Zahra finished kindergarten! (The picture of the commencement ceremony was actually from Monday.) The ceremony was cute, but unfortunately, the pictures from it didn't come out very good. The lighting wasn't great so the pictures are kind of grainy. Zahra's class and the kids from Mrs. Powell's class had their ceremony at the same time. They sang a lot of patriotic songs for us, complete with American sign language. It was pretty cute to watch all of the kids sign as they sang. Perhaps it was because she was tired, but Zahra seemed completely bored by the whole singing thing. When it came time to give out the certificates, she seemed to perk up a little bit. Each child was called up while "Pomp and Circucumstance" played on repeat. It was pretty cute.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBh436euWcLy1uprpKg8Ts4feyG0BVcwPIDc2BTuTQU8yW4GJdcvIIq3pnqwg_82s0SnE4K4UR8Wp-pR0el3VLyaEv_HZjSVimL3dizit6CdSjzBX4rZktu4eGks9bhrL1L9YGS_opFFi/s1600/P6140403.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484285149647069490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBh436euWcLy1uprpKg8Ts4feyG0BVcwPIDc2BTuTQU8yW4GJdcvIIq3pnqwg_82s0SnE4K4UR8Wp-pR0el3VLyaEv_HZjSVimL3dizit6CdSjzBX4rZktu4eGks9bhrL1L9YGS_opFFi/s400/P6140403.JPG" /></a> After the ceremony, parents and visitors were invited into the classroom to pick up the memory books and look around the room. We got a better picture of Zahra holding her "diploma" with Mrs. Conton. See how proud Zahra looks? We are very proud of our little girl, too. I can't believe a whole school year has gone by already!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUayO3yKcKGg4bPYLvGH7JGlp6Lu-P_xsGy5OF_ntrNNl48bF35CunrdLg_Yc-3B7Db-uTe5ygg2iGKOUCvQa6dvLD3xKkCRqjIga5FjGMRkfPSMPK8n6z4VdDHRm52Jaq3kNGSN87D6u/s1600/P6140405.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484284827715367506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUayO3yKcKGg4bPYLvGH7JGlp6Lu-P_xsGy5OF_ntrNNl48bF35CunrdLg_Yc-3B7Db-uTe5ygg2iGKOUCvQa6dvLD3xKkCRqjIga5FjGMRkfPSMPK8n6z4VdDHRm52Jaq3kNGSN87D6u/s400/P6140405.JPG" /></a> We went around and took pictures with some of Zahra's friends. Here she is with Grace. These days, this seems to be her new best friend. I love how happy they look together.</div><div> </div><div>Well, since today was the last day, Zahra's report card for the third trimester came home. She did pretty well. Of course, we'll be working on all those things I mentioned last time, but it was great to see that she's made quite a bit of progress. </div><div> </div><div>After school, Zahra's friend Alysha came home with us. I wanted to surprise the girls, so I decided to take them out to lunch. School let out at 12:20, so we came home for a few minutes. Then Bessie met us and we took all the kids to Chili's. I think it was a fun way to celebrate the end of the school year. </div><div> </div><div align="center">Here comes summer!<br /><br /></div><div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-37369592378202837512010-06-13T10:14:00.000-07:002010-06-13T10:54:21.040-07:00Moving on to 1st Grade<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-rmXBTNK86H8y2MoB_BL5ersxU0Yb4NNSlKG2C5AQtMiHg61RmOg-sfrb1eOD5vUFcFG5JAgQd0c9XxaHAvT3EEpN172dUFCMGHCwxXSAOpHtV2LqHaMSKHyP7ApFPV9kGt1OHz-EYEG/s1600/P5310301.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482308335192297778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-rmXBTNK86H8y2MoB_BL5ersxU0Yb4NNSlKG2C5AQtMiHg61RmOg-sfrb1eOD5vUFcFG5JAgQd0c9XxaHAvT3EEpN172dUFCMGHCwxXSAOpHtV2LqHaMSKHyP7ApFPV9kGt1OHz-EYEG/s400/P5310301.JPG" /></a> Well, here is my 6 year old, somewhere in the line for Space Mountain at Disneyland. I can't believe we're one week away from her finishing kindergarten. She has made SO much progress this year, it's really remarkable. I mentioned some of this in a previous post after we'd had a parent-teacher conference with Mrs. Conton, so I won't go over those details again. Despite all this learning, I have recently been quite worried that it wasn't enough. I was afraid that she was going to be retained and have to repeat kindergarten. But, on Friday, when I picked Zahra up from school, I had a chance to talk to her teacher for about 20 minutes. She had met with a team of teachers and specialists to discuss the best possible choice for Zahra. The team decided that the best thing would be for Zahra to move on to 1st grade with her peers. I was elated.<br /><br />However, I'm very realistic and understand that this move will not be an easy one. Things will remain difficult for Zahra. She made enough points to be a candidate for 1st grade, but just barely. If students score a total between a 1 and 7 on their assessments, they will be asked to repeat the grade level. Zahra's score was at 8.5, which is just bordering on the edge. Skills that are pretty easy for some of her classmates remain a challenge for her. Though she knows all her letter names and sounds, actually writing both upper and lower case letters, in order, for every single letter, is a difficult task. Lately, she's been intrigued by numbers, and has taken it upon herself to practice writing from 1-100. (The kindergarten goal was to be proficient in 1-30.) Although she is working on the numbers, she still requests a lot of help along the way.<br /><br />Over the summer, we plan to continue working with Zahra. Her reading level is way below where a student should be entering 1st grade. She can read some short words that were on a list of 50 or so that were part of her kindergarten lessons. I had taken blank index cards and written a word on each card. I let Zahra decorate the back with a picture she felt was appropriate for whatever word was represented. I think including her in the development process was rewarding for her. It helped her take ownership in the flash cards. We practiced a few words nightly and she picked them up pretty quickly. We'll continue working on the list until she has all of those words memorized. We'll work on sounding out new words together. We'll practice reading books for very beginning readers. We'll work on her handwriting and sharpening her fine motor skills. We'll keep working on being able to quickly recognize numbers.<br /><br />I'm finding worksheets online, making some of my own, and will look for some workbooks to help her practice. I'm thinking that if Willie, Bessie, and I all work with her a little every day, we can make significant progress during the months she's away from school. We are lucky to have a cheerful student who is eager to learn new things. I remember how I felt when I learned to read words out in the world, things like street signs were an exciting challenge for me. (I still remember arguing with my dad that the street "Poplar," as in the kind of tree, actually said "popular." At some point, I realized he was right, and I kept playfully arguing because I didn't want to admit I'd made a mistake. I don't remember how it actually ended. I think I kept calling it "Popular Street" just as a joke.)<br /><br />I think that Zahra's emerging literacy is wonderfully exciting. To see her make such a progression from entering kindergarten with only the most rudimentary skills, to a place where she has earned enough points to move on to the next grade, is amazing. I remember when she was still in the intensive care nursery and we would be talking about "the future" with the neonatologist of the day. The doctor would tell us that her prematurity might lead to learning disabilities or other problems that wouldn't manifest for five or six years. I remember thinking at the time that seemed so far away. And here we are today. I wonder if the way that she is in school has to do with the circumstances surrounding her time in the womb, her months spent in an isolette, hooked up to IVs and leads. I wonder if she would have been exactly the same way if she was born around her due date at the end of April, instead of in early February. We will never know. In the beginning, this bothered me incessantly. And now, several years later, I have come to accept the ambiguity.<br /><br />I think Zahra's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Conton, was an exceptional fit. There are many good teachers at Golden View, but I am thankful for where Zahra was placed. This was Mrs. Conton's first year teaching kindergarten after years of teaching 1st grade. Because of this experience, Mrs. Conton has an extensive knowledge of where her students need to be by the end of the year. We were lucky that Mrs. Conton is a skilled professional who was able to recognize the unique needs of individual students. At Zahra's IEP meeting in January, I learned that Mrs. Conton had been taking specific actions to help maximize her potential. (IEP stands for Individual Education Plan. Zahra has been getting these every year since she started receiving therapy with the school district when she turned 3.) Because Zahra has a hard time sitting still, Mrs. Conton would ask her to get up and get something or bring something to another teacher or person in the classroom. This would help Zahra focus when she returned to her seat. Talking with Mrs. Conton and volunteering 2 hours a week in the classroom this year have helped give me a greater understanding for just what a range of academic achievement levels exist in an average classroom. There are kids who are proficient readers and those who are struggling with phonetics just like Zahra. Some are able to focus for long periods of time and those who find even a minute or two as a huge challenge. Overall, I think that Mrs. Conton is a very good teacher who not only understands the individuality of her students, but is also compassionate and truly caring. She is able to tailor the material to different levels of understanding to make the most out of the lesson for every student. While of course I am happy to see Zahra move on, I will be a little sad to say goodbye to her teacher and all the kids in Room 4.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlSxGZqlzsTj9acMXKl8XNm5IfOChC45pGQhUyxpMr9L1CU32SXkN967O-zh6a2WDBR_6eNEEAMGAOcQOe5viniXfPESdWmvmnVbnmnHE5Zy8Be0VQAp-LjyAIFK-PVjlaCeiwwYAFlw_/s1600/P5310302.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482308153306540658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlSxGZqlzsTj9acMXKl8XNm5IfOChC45pGQhUyxpMr9L1CU32SXkN967O-zh6a2WDBR_6eNEEAMGAOcQOe5viniXfPESdWmvmnVbnmnHE5Zy8Be0VQAp-LjyAIFK-PVjlaCeiwwYAFlw_/s400/P5310302.JPG" /></a>[Although he was in Stockton when I took this picture, I can hear my dad saying, "Look at how she conked out." At the end of a long Memorial Day at Disneyland, Zahra fell asleep in this very-uncomfortable-looking position in her car seat on the ride home. She must have been so tired, because this picture was taken around 4:30 in the afternoon. When we came home, she kept sleeping on the couch. Then slept some more when we carried her up to her bed when we went up at 10 o'clock. Then, the next morning, I thought she would surely venture into my room when she woke up too early. Nope. I still had to force her to wake up for school at 7:00.]<br /><br /><div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-40006050488090365482010-06-13T10:01:00.000-07:002010-06-13T10:12:49.260-07:00SuperKids<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUaVjr7rR6RlvxeYC5PQRA_7Ao3p5GlkdwODQNa_o2NNzu0NuWD0cx3S_DP_ad8MS0A80zvLedniz_5vO8rn_1X4cZ5oJDUjBtRXJMsbQV4wz9V359X8zN2gDB0JJuXHpYTHyV6H6rzHV/s1600/P6060317.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482305429265697058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUaVjr7rR6RlvxeYC5PQRA_7Ao3p5GlkdwODQNa_o2NNzu0NuWD0cx3S_DP_ad8MS0A80zvLedniz_5vO8rn_1X4cZ5oJDUjBtRXJMsbQV4wz9V359X8zN2gDB0JJuXHpYTHyV6H6rzHV/s400/P6060317.JPG" /></a> This is one of Max's newest expressions. The other night, Zahra started running around the living room and kitchen, holding her "cape" with her hands. When she would refer to Max, she would say, "This is my sidekick." (I don't know where she came up with that term, but it was pretty cute.) So I asked her if she wanted me to use a safety pin to fasten the ends of her cape together so she wouldn't have to hold it while she ran around. She thought that was a brilliant idea in almost every respect, except for the possibility of getting stuck with the sharp end of the pin. I managed to pin her cape together painlessly. Then she said, "My sidekick needs a cape, too." I thought a dish towel would be the appropriate size for her sidekick. Then I got them to pose for the picture above. I think it's funny that the two of them happened to be wearing shirts that had the following phrases on them: (Max) "I STILL LIVE WITH MY PARENTS" and (Zahra) "MAKING MISCHIEF" (with a picture of the character Max from the children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak).<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutYkcW7ofBnRs8aoGN3kSVR6QLOA6S74j__IzvXaGdC8Obx8DnIS1Cc5Vxz1DBQAFytwPqmmthMtJKR6wEDkpnQOuRydYEuvKqooanLTts6Vpsz88IMAdJHbR3a7RA4u6t4ruJoD2pqZN/s1600/P6060323.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482305268606284146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutYkcW7ofBnRs8aoGN3kSVR6QLOA6S74j__IzvXaGdC8Obx8DnIS1Cc5Vxz1DBQAFytwPqmmthMtJKR6wEDkpnQOuRydYEuvKqooanLTts6Vpsz88IMAdJHbR3a7RA4u6t4ruJoD2pqZN/s400/P6060323.JPG" /></a> Beware of the Ghost of Zahra<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtlOIGyMm7aJTxWXdJMBd5D6p9WfmqsmJF1H-IbNBUpfgyLe8j8hc-a0mW5ybbwihWqJTc9ck9aXmEFwm21vOPENCSkrWUgRNLg1wDvLdwX4OP8dDcOFSYsPtP3LoK9hF6sBroFH49uVm/s1600/P6060324.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482305103284793890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtlOIGyMm7aJTxWXdJMBd5D6p9WfmqsmJF1H-IbNBUpfgyLe8j8hc-a0mW5ybbwihWqJTc9ck9aXmEFwm21vOPENCSkrWUgRNLg1wDvLdwX4OP8dDcOFSYsPtP3LoK9hF6sBroFH49uVm/s400/P6060324.JPG" /></a>Max in action<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUr3Ms9yGma8Vwmi3-4i0dt6qOYnfAx9_p-WpdWhiNxmwPEDPXslfNwa-AI4IuyqayGV4cplcqO5WbGiwH8dVtccpgUtaGjgNl6CYy0gNLQGekhOfu4grJ_1Ua7SgJAB-ZLsfeUSmMxKw1/s1600/P6060325.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482304908205465954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUr3Ms9yGma8Vwmi3-4i0dt6qOYnfAx9_p-WpdWhiNxmwPEDPXslfNwa-AI4IuyqayGV4cplcqO5WbGiwH8dVtccpgUtaGjgNl6CYy0gNLQGekhOfu4grJ_1Ua7SgJAB-ZLsfeUSmMxKw1/s400/P6060325.JPG" /></a> Fast Zahra<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6T6NwSZVj49paHFOks8MlkTZDHXQpLpl_13lwOi1ZOJ3XDyTUhIFQYt62zIpCllllwK4WwnkENs0ByN8cOC-uD5A8AaOdG3Ge_IVTuV6eBzrzXVK1m_dIBR8Z4Tap9QQjTOwrfD2ULGKf/s1600/P6060334.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482304745698798930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6T6NwSZVj49paHFOks8MlkTZDHXQpLpl_13lwOi1ZOJ3XDyTUhIFQYt62zIpCllllwK4WwnkENs0ByN8cOC-uD5A8AaOdG3Ge_IVTuV6eBzrzXVK1m_dIBR8Z4Tap9QQjTOwrfD2ULGKf/s400/P6060334.JPG" /></a> ... and even Superhero kids get tired sometimes.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-68844780110364431722010-05-06T18:25:00.000-07:002010-05-06T18:27:32.495-07:00A Duet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mzUij-BuEe2BZHxnePCP5GQj-yZSmJSQbvYn0DVzpD3Mhg8_TGXOfSEb2CmINffU687yZpLbzPuglubY7mPkCn_2NrjeMDUvwAKW55NzA65167XwSiW7rJplKBOW1LmZTTCSSC5oGXZm/s1600/A+Duet.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468333241729137122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mzUij-BuEe2BZHxnePCP5GQj-yZSmJSQbvYn0DVzpD3Mhg8_TGXOfSEb2CmINffU687yZpLbzPuglubY7mPkCn_2NrjeMDUvwAKW55NzA65167XwSiW7rJplKBOW1LmZTTCSSC5oGXZm/s400/A+Duet.jpg" /></a> This picture was so cute I just had to share it immediately. I'll try to post more of a narrative later, but I wanted to get this out first. We visited Auntie Sis in Los Gatos over the weekend, and the kids had some fun playing on her piano. I have a few small videos of Max playing by himself, but I have yet to get them off the camera. Life has still been quite the whirlwind lately! More to follow, as soon as I have some of that precious "free" time...<br /><div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-8590610196671741392010-04-22T11:12:00.001-07:002010-04-22T11:22:05.793-07:00The Little ComedienneYou'll have to forgive me, for lately life has been a whirlwind of change and busy times. However, I have a quick quote to share with you.<br /><br />Last week, we had the living room carpet cleaned.<br /><br />Mind you, when we moved in, it was brand new and beige. A shade chosen by the previous owners. Not the carpet we would have chosen to work well with two small children, but that's how it was when we got here. We knew from the get-go that it would get dirty. We were very liberal with bringing drinks in the living room, letting the kids walk around with juice boxes, pretty much anything. So of course, within a few months, juice spilled and we would sop it up with a towel. But of course the sugars would attract dirt and it would dry into an ugly mess.<br /><br />Then we couldn't take it any more so we called Chem Dry. The guy came in and did a deep clean and used really hot water and carbonation to break down the sugars so that not only would the stains disappear but they would not attract dirt again and have the same spots reappear weeks later.<br /><br />After the Chem Dry guy was done, I left the house to give the carpet some time to dry. Max and I had lunch on Willie's lunch break at a delicious vegetarian restaurant in Fountain Valley. After we took Daddy back to work, Max and I went to pick up Zahra from school. I explained to her that the living room carpet had been cleaned and that we couldn't bring drinks in there any more. Unless it was something that would just leave vacummable (did I just invent a word?!) crumbs, it would have to be consumed on the tile floor in the kitchen or dining area.<br /><br />Her response was classic, comical Zahra: "Awesome! That means we can just mess it all up again!" She was totally joking but it was pretty funny how she came up with that response so quickly.<br /><br />Ah... my dear little comedienne.Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-75123493295784686032010-03-25T16:07:00.000-07:002010-03-25T16:55:26.972-07:00Wagon WalkJust before I took Auntie Sis to the airport, we all needed to get out and go for a walk outside.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEoYWXuy6D3ry0_axA3OzTU7luJSPTkOnV8aNvdYwTNpmhsL52YNRX4DPDzi6jefpKsGv1r8Gip3zyJFZvfXKx-OwvnHOZw-22xVt_lCRoBELy4m_Z32XRMO1kDqUo4QAXOO_FLehT87Y/s1600/P3070084.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712860558060754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEoYWXuy6D3ry0_axA3OzTU7luJSPTkOnV8aNvdYwTNpmhsL52YNRX4DPDzi6jefpKsGv1r8Gip3zyJFZvfXKx-OwvnHOZw-22xVt_lCRoBELy4m_Z32XRMO1kDqUo4QAXOO_FLehT87Y/s400/P3070084.JPG" /></a> It's fun that Zahra and Max can still fit in the wagon, and for the most part, get along.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHDyiKZLa0Mt0Gsu_7U5XNoXmbCBtwGgmW5hM7K4og_jeW-ZSCXcKi9s15bEbCGGN7UwpfZTE_21s_QKORF2X8dXcChOGGmDp714dgQzDY0IMwkerZvU5CSonsAZJrePYiXN6vev8oRU8/s1600/P3070090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712782009959538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHDyiKZLa0Mt0Gsu_7U5XNoXmbCBtwGgmW5hM7K4og_jeW-ZSCXcKi9s15bEbCGGN7UwpfZTE_21s_QKORF2X8dXcChOGGmDp714dgQzDY0IMwkerZvU5CSonsAZJrePYiXN6vev8oRU8/s400/P3070090.JPG" /></a> Zahra loves her little brother!<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUhqGfWENtSa3nudzV8AbpcIJXdIWWsyjgBMHEYOX775mGC0ahDDWb1sSxvZ8Fbm3XFulj7zJZ8XNKeosW5BBSlxZqJ6hbTOe4ms9P7GxgP52O30iy-VwmmhgYmYnrByG0zgUl6InTA-b/s1600/P3070091.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712700724005426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUhqGfWENtSa3nudzV8AbpcIJXdIWWsyjgBMHEYOX775mGC0ahDDWb1sSxvZ8Fbm3XFulj7zJZ8XNKeosW5BBSlxZqJ6hbTOe4ms9P7GxgP52O30iy-VwmmhgYmYnrByG0zgUl6InTA-b/s400/P3070091.JPG" /></a> I love to see the two of them together, when they hold on to each other and just look like they're having a great time.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa9CxBWUyXnMniTKJCdgT7T4ohNif2TFm45ShrohNSbSvToX8SdDAe2YueMzHZzJSTEkvdd7ToMg9xeo9BYR6HIH-Hk554_iREPAR5Dhn7vDsrUX9JOG0hM3FNXXnFN05CUbEBIBE3jy_/s1600/P3070095.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712623092335730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa9CxBWUyXnMniTKJCdgT7T4ohNif2TFm45ShrohNSbSvToX8SdDAe2YueMzHZzJSTEkvdd7ToMg9xeo9BYR6HIH-Hk554_iREPAR5Dhn7vDsrUX9JOG0hM3FNXXnFN05CUbEBIBE3jy_/s400/P3070095.JPG" /></a>This shot is kind of blurry because I'm pulling the wagon as it's racing down a hill and trying to take a picture at the same time. Not an easy task! They thought going down the hill was so much fun... <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLg0wCuUfUt8Jl_4dFHRBRrnCgWD6CvlPu7spbGeiBOKkE1cXL3pPuWe1yUGu1Fjcl_90No5xoZFHz-I1YUjh25gqiQWDrIHDn4LOAPRpdjP36kCKd0s9c5NDaRWcn-3kFFpjt958hhJc/s1600/P3070099.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712519373532802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLg0wCuUfUt8Jl_4dFHRBRrnCgWD6CvlPu7spbGeiBOKkE1cXL3pPuWe1yUGu1Fjcl_90No5xoZFHz-I1YUjh25gqiQWDrIHDn4LOAPRpdjP36kCKd0s9c5NDaRWcn-3kFFpjt958hhJc/s400/P3070099.JPG" /></a> A little while later, after walking around our complex for awhile, it seemed like a good idea to let the kids get out and walk around a little. I wanted to take a picture of them in the trunks of this olive tree, but it was almost impossible to get them both to stay there...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvF-G14DCL3uI3zXnNmmTKdR7Qpugzppp65Pc8PO6QtOEF20xWJc9EYH0mFgx1zBvS-sfAQtLSFdzzlMdeT2OhzLA83OWio0tGWgwmxQB2aAwuUc0AX5HS6wzqe8eHsbVhbb71L9SsfC8/s1600/P3070100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712425735362786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvF-G14DCL3uI3zXnNmmTKdR7Qpugzppp65Pc8PO6QtOEF20xWJc9EYH0mFgx1zBvS-sfAQtLSFdzzlMdeT2OhzLA83OWio0tGWgwmxQB2aAwuUc0AX5HS6wzqe8eHsbVhbb71L9SsfC8/s400/P3070100.JPG" /></a> It's funny how much Max looks like a baby here. (Yes, I know he's almost 15 months old so it's not like he's very old yet, but you know what I mean, right?) Sometimes it seems like he's growing up to be a little boy, but every once in awhile, the baby-face pops through.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LGn5hz_BDCPF4P_mctn0xii4Iz1EUjNEABG0XYmV8gZXOsP3x0QKgADeyYelB49wN8qCPM0Or8VhKeUlpxgLJP_E4P7SbJunC33wWFtHwBoH2elgBFXX5eIp-JzLePYzwthDMEafPykz/s1600/P3070105.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712348918035026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LGn5hz_BDCPF4P_mctn0xii4Iz1EUjNEABG0XYmV8gZXOsP3x0QKgADeyYelB49wN8qCPM0Or8VhKeUlpxgLJP_E4P7SbJunC33wWFtHwBoH2elgBFXX5eIp-JzLePYzwthDMEafPykz/s400/P3070105.JPG" /></a> Of course Zahra wanted a turn to pull her brother around for awhile....<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mT_jTHzUO02yin1BhjVwcZf9uYv7jryw0vfY54nrRlpLzCSkCcwf1sgm0mGmyyS8OiuCqs7iX4qo2Un4oamsqHuevts_fxqExgz_6EKxyKnva5Mvnwyk8LHQDp8laR8vvawr1gjc2NR_/s1600/P3070113.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452712275914768274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mT_jTHzUO02yin1BhjVwcZf9uYv7jryw0vfY54nrRlpLzCSkCcwf1sgm0mGmyyS8OiuCqs7iX4qo2Un4oamsqHuevts_fxqExgz_6EKxyKnva5Mvnwyk8LHQDp8laR8vvawr1gjc2NR_/s400/P3070113.JPG" /></a> Then we decided to sit down and I was trying to have Auntie Sis get a group shot, but getting all three of us to look at the camera at once truly <em>was </em>impossible. Plus, Zahra wouldn't stop being silly. She kept putting that little pillow over her face and head because the sun was shining in our eyes. (Do you think we could all fit in that Smart Car back there?) <div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-15923284890936559032010-03-25T16:06:00.001-07:002010-03-25T17:07:31.080-07:00Wake up, Little ZOn some school mornings, Max wakes up before Zahra. This day, we went in together to try and wake the Sleeping Beauty.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuqlNE6NTj3bQaSrXp4anY6FVEsqLTYEuNbrHIY-Z4_JrwZsr5v2c1Hu9VcYTvFXi03djfh7_PVldHIxx9mJEWNFJbzk3PU3OuMEAD5KzpKj_E9yChWOs2FhI1HpvHHbkc4E8c-3wPmT7/s1600/P3120146.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711986621313938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuqlNE6NTj3bQaSrXp4anY6FVEsqLTYEuNbrHIY-Z4_JrwZsr5v2c1Hu9VcYTvFXi03djfh7_PVldHIxx9mJEWNFJbzk3PU3OuMEAD5KzpKj_E9yChWOs2FhI1HpvHHbkc4E8c-3wPmT7/s400/P3120146.JPG" /></a> For a couple weeks now, Zahra has been sleeping on the floor, technically underneath where her bed should be. I moved the mattress from the top, where it should be, and put it on the floor, so at least it would be cushioned. She likes having the sheet hang down to make a little enclosed space where she feels more safe. Max was ready to find his big sister and wake her up.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfM9_x5kaSTMKc7azlwFBZeSJzlP1xebbjqT7G53fxPK7VLPT047gtjDqlzgU4OlKXZfNuXqsfDsIwg_tbIFPiUIY1IUqyteP4Vz6KVLkxhkg3rnGo73yeAcJJw525d9YHR7uYH4GLmQo/s1600/P3120147.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711916149672722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfM9_x5kaSTMKc7azlwFBZeSJzlP1xebbjqT7G53fxPK7VLPT047gtjDqlzgU4OlKXZfNuXqsfDsIwg_tbIFPiUIY1IUqyteP4Vz6KVLkxhkg3rnGo73yeAcJJw525d9YHR7uYH4GLmQo/s400/P3120147.JPG" /></a> But she was sound asleep. Notice the little purple flashlight (one of the presents we gave her for her birthday). I wonder if she ever finds it in the middle of the night and turns it on to see if she can see anything. For this little one, you have to hold down the button to keep the light on, which is nice so the battery doesn't run out since it can't be left on. <div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4buCVSKoxW_UYRb3XIBdAQ1A-vNDfHxyDrNqi8MnA1ESJA0WNy0SxbTzaLjvBBpv8njp2OcnJxIjc6U2WEDSfaZBjYnCugGiG2YB0GemmJPmLB6DtKGyBwso2Q_DMspFcR2ywIaEJZOM/s1600/P3120156.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711769892264258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4buCVSKoxW_UYRb3XIBdAQ1A-vNDfHxyDrNqi8MnA1ESJA0WNy0SxbTzaLjvBBpv8njp2OcnJxIjc6U2WEDSfaZBjYnCugGiG2YB0GemmJPmLB6DtKGyBwso2Q_DMspFcR2ywIaEJZOM/s400/P3120156.JPG" /></a> A few minutes later, two happy kids. I have noticed that Zahra is much more amiable on mornings when Max is immediately there when she wakes up. When it's early and it's just-Mom, we can have quite the frustrating time with grumbles, eyes that refuse to open, hiding under the pillow, thrashing about, you name it. But sometimes Max is sleepy, too, and since he doesn't need to get ready for school like Zahra, I usually let him sleep until he wakes up (which, more often than not, happens just a few minutes later when we are downstairs). I think he senses that he's alone upstairs and so he sits up in bed and calls out, "Mawm?" (It sounds more like that than the rounded-O sound in mom.) I rush up to get him and he's just sitting there, with his legs crossed, rubbing his eyes and looking bewildered, then immediately happy to see me when I walk in the room. To witness that expression of joy, just because you walk in a room, is truly a wonderful feeling.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-34965556389922777082010-03-25T16:03:00.000-07:002010-03-25T16:27:25.415-07:00Hodge-Podge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmKlUZySlBUXc-C8WHVZ256i0h-PTeAWbCjJ5KdmSoAkQe3fxP31uapjOKfs_8pHlKzduLRHcP32BP0R-n7KU3qwSnpH1M-bRmK0IAUHD7yyarueQXnXC_razAFkBheqw9dvWD5dydSwS/s1600/P3050061.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711598917340546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmKlUZySlBUXc-C8WHVZ256i0h-PTeAWbCjJ5KdmSoAkQe3fxP31uapjOKfs_8pHlKzduLRHcP32BP0R-n7KU3qwSnpH1M-bRmK0IAUHD7yyarueQXnXC_razAFkBheqw9dvWD5dydSwS/s400/P3050061.JPG" /></a> When Auntie Sis was visiting us at the beginning of the month, we went out for breakfast at the Harbor House (on PCH). When Max smiled for this picture, the waitress happened to be walking by. She was so surprised that he would actually smile for the picture, although personally, I think it was a big happy coincidence. I think this actual moment in time must have been just before or just after he gave that big grin.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQEE_aDcYu1ByG35iVS2VOPTmqjxyumH7_LNvZXMtUFuIDRSwjr6BQm1P_yXk328PHfEFaf7KwkgPczyS78FZp3DvJD2DOtq9zWBWvQ1zo2h9-Uqjpe-FqjGr_MDQP4-OCbFE3T-HGhSU/s1600/P3050066.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711486238516850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQEE_aDcYu1ByG35iVS2VOPTmqjxyumH7_LNvZXMtUFuIDRSwjr6BQm1P_yXk328PHfEFaf7KwkgPczyS78FZp3DvJD2DOtq9zWBWvQ1zo2h9-Uqjpe-FqjGr_MDQP4-OCbFE3T-HGhSU/s400/P3050066.JPG" /></a> Max eating french toast and eggs. He must have been really hungry, because when the waitress put the food on the table, Max shrieked and almost jumped out of his booster seat. It seemed like he could hardly wait for me to cut up the bread and put some on his empty plate. He must have heard something from outside and was looking back to see what made some sound.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PZB414vpNtOu6oxkbQ5Yhl1BlNNiR2ZYGQGGKZWE0SqHjmhy6vn6rCpUm7SOGD6kEenDlTm8tYeIgsr34JxiZyL2rFhXbtIVwWZcEPilYcCLijLPtdFPTF789tQnQNooKffc3ZZEsO4b/s1600/P3050071.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711395228755826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PZB414vpNtOu6oxkbQ5Yhl1BlNNiR2ZYGQGGKZWE0SqHjmhy6vn6rCpUm7SOGD6kEenDlTm8tYeIgsr34JxiZyL2rFhXbtIVwWZcEPilYcCLijLPtdFPTF789tQnQNooKffc3ZZEsO4b/s400/P3050071.JPG" /></a> Later that day, after we picked up Zahra from school, we went to Target so that Auntie Sis could find some flip-flops. She had brought lots of cold weather shoes but wanted something lighter. While we were waiting for Auntie Sis to decide, Zahra tried on some adult-sized boots. It was hilarious to watch her try and walk in them.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju50D9LCENzmRb51iomqnknIpv_NAC3q4owMKQMUwqGuLH-ev8j_q9budRhSu_WPk5XL15RNUg-tLts-yHNWavjv3FDSm97wQEnxPAedjeegyxV7VPL14nZGq2QkZhO-lTm3I3erQfMESS/s1600/P3070118.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711295148390274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju50D9LCENzmRb51iomqnknIpv_NAC3q4owMKQMUwqGuLH-ev8j_q9budRhSu_WPk5XL15RNUg-tLts-yHNWavjv3FDSm97wQEnxPAedjeegyxV7VPL14nZGq2QkZhO-lTm3I3erQfMESS/s400/P3070118.JPG" /></a> Ever the clever little boy. Max kept putting this little bucket on his head and walking all over the house. If you got down on the ground close to him, he would try to put the bucket-hat on your head, too...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfhpfEQMPfJ4JqBaxGnCB9AfcQ2_nDQXeAl9tPVX1O5Gz2YMY1SrVFInDxqlzTDQYU7sSEbQmEo6BGeTPK7rn74SfD6HxTLjCJVLTszVcyhtSikSU8LhUdnoUW98PcEoMeTZa2axUwOXL/s1600/P3110134.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452711199863636914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfhpfEQMPfJ4JqBaxGnCB9AfcQ2_nDQXeAl9tPVX1O5Gz2YMY1SrVFInDxqlzTDQYU7sSEbQmEo6BGeTPK7rn74SfD6HxTLjCJVLTszVcyhtSikSU8LhUdnoUW98PcEoMeTZa2axUwOXL/s400/P3110134.JPG" /></a> The under-the-table GIANT! Or wait, he's still just a toddler with a dirty shirt. He looks so big here. I guess that's what happens when you lay on the ground and take an upwards shot of a baby. <div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-59985785349696514862010-03-04T17:52:00.001-08:002010-03-04T18:03:50.553-08:00Yet Another Polliwog Award<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzF43gUysTxCRpQLgkWh8er5INDynZoyEjY8kyVf-hXIWEgL5PxrqHidAxQJV8zJ76dQDE2UTr4NeAcr03QKW1D4KDGhPub9Xy-9TNP5u3kCacr_nuXmB9fyB0VnOw-W6sJuzfCTrb1H1J/s1600-h/P3030013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444962279545612194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzF43gUysTxCRpQLgkWh8er5INDynZoyEjY8kyVf-hXIWEgL5PxrqHidAxQJV8zJ76dQDE2UTr4NeAcr03QKW1D4KDGhPub9Xy-9TNP5u3kCacr_nuXmB9fyB0VnOw-W6sJuzfCTrb1H1J/s400/P3030013.JPG" /></a> Yesterday, there was another ceremony in Toad Hall for kindergarten awards. Zahra got another Polliwog Award for reading books with her mom (and grandma). This was what Max was doing while we were listening to names being called (notice his crazy hair). Since I had already posted a blog about this, I really wasn't going to do another one. Except yesterday the kids celebrated the birthday of Dr. Seuss. By wearing pajamas. To school. (I wish they had pajama day once a week! It was so easy to get Zahra ready in the morning.) So I thought it would be fun to take pictures of the kids in their PJs. Zahra's class even had on paper hats and bowties like the Cat in the Hat.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwo-r_vS0gVqpOVsQHTj-ffGlGL5aBpRkW97jI28y7TFZVqk76f8MW6gGi2PB1O-wMUlpCJElTKyLZnEpjq2XBbmDxSUVsuGYO9w6ntX9F5OnTZY2ccLSL6AtZkpTOlhRrJ9V_tQR1xJG0/s1600-h/P3030017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444962205849073714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwo-r_vS0gVqpOVsQHTj-ffGlGL5aBpRkW97jI28y7TFZVqk76f8MW6gGi2PB1O-wMUlpCJElTKyLZnEpjq2XBbmDxSUVsuGYO9w6ntX9F5OnTZY2ccLSL6AtZkpTOlhRrJ9V_tQR1xJG0/s400/P3030017.JPG" /></a> Here is Zahra, graciously accepting her award and shaking the principal's hand.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9bINExSJuvttnIZTAfo3jPSEez0kfYk7sjQmsgJ4INI54gp8lU2t689tHw8DK6A7gp3xhTviUFm4JflgctitG-X9d6tt6O72hGNjHJjvug7MfpDjRrUcuWSVdA_QvZBvzdi9ax3eoLf7/s1600-h/P3030019.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444962133129443698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9bINExSJuvttnIZTAfo3jPSEez0kfYk7sjQmsgJ4INI54gp8lU2t689tHw8DK6A7gp3xhTviUFm4JflgctitG-X9d6tt6O72hGNjHJjvug7MfpDjRrUcuWSVdA_QvZBvzdi9ax3eoLf7/s400/P3030019.JPG" /></a> Thumbs up, Mom!<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hPrQK-YepIhpVyPVKrT5l0-3zCcuQUG4YNhu5dvW4xYrC9bdkkuJuTok3iWfStPvWbGvFqELmoiiaiSvtF5bv5U_17Ex6YSeAJhuY4pop4tyArF5xezs66cTg0zX-c5XaiQ_9sg0AvSv/s1600-h/P3030029.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444962041489736466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hPrQK-YepIhpVyPVKrT5l0-3zCcuQUG4YNhu5dvW4xYrC9bdkkuJuTok3iWfStPvWbGvFqELmoiiaiSvtF5bv5U_17Ex6YSeAJhuY4pop4tyArF5xezs66cTg0zX-c5XaiQ_9sg0AvSv/s400/P3030029.JPG" /></a> They counted. 67 kids got Polliwog awards. Then a select few got another award where they got to go to the principal's office and pick out a book to take home. The official award said that she read a goal of 4,000 pages, but this was something that Mrs. Dreifus had mumbled when announcing this particular award. How they calculated this for the kindergarteners, I'm not sure. In any case, Zahra went to the office and picked out another copy of a book we already own! ("Lola at the Library." When it was in regular rotation, Zahra used to always insist that I inserted "Zahra" every time it said "Lola" in the book. The girl in the book is little and black and has cute little pigtails. I wondered if Zahra kind of identified with her. She would even get mad if I would mistakenly read "Lola," as it clearly said on the page, and forgot to remember to add "Zahra" instead. It's hard to remember to read things that aren't actually on the page!)<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfetl8-vgbJJzz6pl-5BNJwxQughVfBFjRz-phbVNO2AVXpZ7vavqyYjSqcwDItM0a6lhAGaT_DKDUB1PlkWWorRPOHMMjMBvCY4ooYfIjRkwKVwq6yNf8SAPdqdYv6zEsb77PJH1QhR8/s1600-h/P3030031.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444961945389901666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfetl8-vgbJJzz6pl-5BNJwxQughVfBFjRz-phbVNO2AVXpZ7vavqyYjSqcwDItM0a6lhAGaT_DKDUB1PlkWWorRPOHMMjMBvCY4ooYfIjRkwKVwq6yNf8SAPdqdYv6zEsb77PJH1QhR8/s400/P3030031.JPG" /></a> Waiting as everyone got counted...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-hqCu-T7eF9Ax3qgR2F8XmPwy9X9A0LjxcyhRWoMPds6mBHnuIiqmjWIZx0KD68mFQm1xPWVyFhbyzABvHfyMyTsf_wXPWDvQU8jArLUW0cRhz4i4NXOCffYMArS6iFdp7DeGrpdmfsu/s1600-h/P3030035.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444961868755551186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-hqCu-T7eF9Ax3qgR2F8XmPwy9X9A0LjxcyhRWoMPds6mBHnuIiqmjWIZx0KD68mFQm1xPWVyFhbyzABvHfyMyTsf_wXPWDvQU8jArLUW0cRhz4i4NXOCffYMArS6iFdp7DeGrpdmfsu/s400/P3030035.JPG" /></a> My favorite little reading buddy!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-10715009729853412212010-03-04T17:46:00.000-08:002010-03-04T17:52:09.428-08:00Maxwell Shoe-y Hands<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEps6uDH4ySA8vxItYFA1_r6tOdWcC5VbzdUth1Xx6XTlAf8RfqlD0rl00KviMKkSDkQNAE-tocOBjxi8zowngK_okrFV2RXWUlCM2WEJHSKYCkSUz-lOfE-JfzuKFU8ggkaBbB_gFu82/s1600-h/P3040045.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444960739836225698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEps6uDH4ySA8vxItYFA1_r6tOdWcC5VbzdUth1Xx6XTlAf8RfqlD0rl00KviMKkSDkQNAE-tocOBjxi8zowngK_okrFV2RXWUlCM2WEJHSKYCkSUz-lOfE-JfzuKFU8ggkaBbB_gFu82/s400/P3040045.JPG" /></a> Lots of times, Max will pick up shoes and bring them to you. Sometimes they belong to you. Sometimes they belong to him. Sometimes they belong to a guest. It doesn't matter. He likes to pick them up and carry them around. Sometimes I think when he brings me his shoes, it's his way of saying, "Hey, put these on me. Let's go outside." What he really means, who knows. Today, he put his little shoes on his hands and walked around the house. I was washing dishes in the kitchen and he walked up to me, put his hands in the air, and had a huge grin on his face. Like it was the coolest thing he'd ever done! He was so proud of himself. So I gave him a hug. And grabbed the camera.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggR0pm3ew3VJNGv2SRtDSc8aHOaeWTupPrtPeJfBMJjFyZD_khmdw7jxb18FUmKjWNX9LwklEx4iGl4bhuG7Uk7MGSJC9MYki-OUU-wWl-D-jYJ4LhzwArjBH4yYwbJXF71lGdUMOHv_I_/s1600-h/P3040050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444960660140529970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggR0pm3ew3VJNGv2SRtDSc8aHOaeWTupPrtPeJfBMJjFyZD_khmdw7jxb18FUmKjWNX9LwklEx4iGl4bhuG7Uk7MGSJC9MYki-OUU-wWl-D-jYJ4LhzwArjBH4yYwbJXF71lGdUMOHv_I_/s400/P3040050.JPG" /></a> He kept them on his hands for quite awhile, just walking around, banging on stuff, dropping them, picking them up and putting them on again. Great toddler fun!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPlh32q6ew6gwze41aPVn89RVhtMUYi-4CwKKE6xUhtNzjV_jODqGmbaY7BV7mwTeF6LoHOgxaaQHfa3AcjzpdXTHb6ych6QStE7NbByS6qA6AUMgvN5KQP_QlAzD5bC0wJrt6bZa9YRD/s1600-h/P3040051.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444960583840409890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPlh32q6ew6gwze41aPVn89RVhtMUYi-4CwKKE6xUhtNzjV_jODqGmbaY7BV7mwTeF6LoHOgxaaQHfa3AcjzpdXTHb6ych6QStE7NbByS6qA6AUMgvN5KQP_QlAzD5bC0wJrt6bZa9YRD/s400/P3040051.JPG" /></a> It was like he kept trying to say, "Hey, Mom! Look what I can do! I've got shoes on my hands! Wow!"<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXStkJW8-7OS-Jl4Mn7rrezZoPpALhWz0KWcrS99P7yBkanGTYm7uNnyVzdL-kqvuun8QtrnN7cib_atjuBSfj62p0f3cErao-If7dHX0DnlC_x0SElDjB1s4rCIJ8zOXilMP5dxjD4EwS/s1600-h/P3040058.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444960525280572354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXStkJW8-7OS-Jl4Mn7rrezZoPpALhWz0KWcrS99P7yBkanGTYm7uNnyVzdL-kqvuun8QtrnN7cib_atjuBSfj62p0f3cErao-If7dHX0DnlC_x0SElDjB1s4rCIJ8zOXilMP5dxjD4EwS/s400/P3040058.JPG" /></a>My little happy Maxwell Shoe-y Hands.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-5027260429650200712010-02-24T15:31:00.000-08:002010-02-24T16:44:41.033-08:00Jog-a-thon 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWydcQa1-vHfuwK4vjNLCCCLOst_miHs3UotHoWpMBiCgiw9clBMDkA9TZohVhF1bxOoAbw6TBAXI1LmNv5bl75YzYEFEizAFYmHtphAC-1JTzG5eEb5kVUKsoX8gBOT4fav2RYSAqS3Ak/s1600-h/P2240193.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441959016647467394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWydcQa1-vHfuwK4vjNLCCCLOst_miHs3UotHoWpMBiCgiw9clBMDkA9TZohVhF1bxOoAbw6TBAXI1LmNv5bl75YzYEFEizAFYmHtphAC-1JTzG5eEb5kVUKsoX8gBOT4fav2RYSAqS3Ak/s400/P2240193.JPG" /></a> This morning, there was a jog-a-thon at Zahra's school. It was a fundraiser to help the school earn money for special programs, art supplies, field trips, and "extras" that the school would otherwise be unable to provide for the students. We dropped Zahra off when school started at 8:00 and then Max and I hung out for awhile since the jog-a-thon wasn't scheduled to begin until 8:20. He finished what was left in the juice box that Zahra had partially consumed on the way to school.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OYDKzhSzB2gAWz737OOuxBSAAzceZQvK2bxvpJR-xmiZoP_Zx7iGm4ZAzAlom1jfKDTTnOrNc4t56c5FmhlCFDamYqBRp5BbDV7yNC2imX882de0MzvcpDA6xF9JNNDPShMZjeAGwnKq/s1600-h/P2240197.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958911277983890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OYDKzhSzB2gAWz737OOuxBSAAzceZQvK2bxvpJR-xmiZoP_Zx7iGm4ZAzAlom1jfKDTTnOrNc4t56c5FmhlCFDamYqBRp5BbDV7yNC2imX882de0MzvcpDA6xF9JNNDPShMZjeAGwnKq/s400/P2240197.JPG" /></a> When we crossed the street and went back on campus, the kids were still getting ready, so Max and I decided to walk over to the farm that's part of the school. We stood at the fence and looked in while we waited. Max yelled gibberish emphatically at the animals. Since they're are used to hearing kids yell all the time (as the chainlink fence is all that separates their area from the playground), a few of them took it as an invitation to come over and greet my little boy.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT-eO7C6muvO_tJBmguLaNwy9e9352Wb8JdbHp3EczlbsEyJNnt9AybSxbAwfPQ8DrWiTjBBj4rmE6LskAvyhJj3vwbqA6NixhWyOsn3ftIIrF74FZu2SBxQZ8iA1V1RTCJHP3LvlzBST/s1600-h/P2240198.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958814527721922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT-eO7C6muvO_tJBmguLaNwy9e9352Wb8JdbHp3EczlbsEyJNnt9AybSxbAwfPQ8DrWiTjBBj4rmE6LskAvyhJj3vwbqA6NixhWyOsn3ftIIrF74FZu2SBxQZ8iA1V1RTCJHP3LvlzBST/s400/P2240198.JPG" /></a> "Hello, Mr. Goat."</div><div align="left">(I was a little worried that Max would keep sticking his chubby little fingers through the fence and that the goat would come over and try to nibble on one, but the goat never got close enough. Whew...)</div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-XEakptpLwMutYUi5a6YFZMpAaXDgQsCcWbofyScUEm572kXaJ_b05D-cU3SQTTyQ2zxXyMIvkyNPsgSXUnLp-KuUqxWVADNiVkctvwfHcOm7tLJwdTEXmOHcijQMJ9VzRZLtYPwdCw-/s1600-h/P2240206.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958730507206690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-XEakptpLwMutYUi5a6YFZMpAaXDgQsCcWbofyScUEm572kXaJ_b05D-cU3SQTTyQ2zxXyMIvkyNPsgSXUnLp-KuUqxWVADNiVkctvwfHcOm7tLJwdTEXmOHcijQMJ9VzRZLtYPwdCw-/s400/P2240206.JPG" /></a> Then I noticed that Zahra's class was starting to warm up. Max and I headed over to that part of the playground to capture the action. Here's Zahra, in her huge (size: small) jog-a-thon t-shirt/"dress," stretching with her classmates.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics1ZAc96kjUWL6jzCadThq6cKJehpbvyGH2gquC2cEH2PXvZB0438sZqYyE-3n6f65iWekfvQQMV3wc46uYsoJnnv_QNsg5fYqkvkaHRxoZTpg5ACIhmxNuv3NuwUEYrJ7220APch454b/s1600-h/P2240211.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958644648507202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics1ZAc96kjUWL6jzCadThq6cKJehpbvyGH2gquC2cEH2PXvZB0438sZqYyE-3n6f65iWekfvQQMV3wc46uYsoJnnv_QNsg5fYqkvkaHRxoZTpg5ACIhmxNuv3NuwUEYrJ7220APch454b/s400/P2240211.JPG" /></a> Zahra and Nahomi, standing around before the action began. Zahra really wanted Max and I to come join the group, but we had to hang out on the other side of the divider line. Before the activity even began, Zahra complained, "I'm tired!" (I think she really meant, "I'm bored"). I had gotten her to sleep earlier than usual, but she has been kind of sick lately, so maybe she really was a little under the weather.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgs5BVbXd4IMf5lQRMW77iP4h1a0ewJsuLDRg_tAzh6J4-HwAOwRbL3AtmmGMjMDybbxofcGMIRvjB2JvEy4gbmpbX0lmFvB7PrdI_ceadQCINd5hlDMP8Ao2NvXlGy4tdqxOBc4J2lNz/s1600-h/P2240215.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958555867441314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgs5BVbXd4IMf5lQRMW77iP4h1a0ewJsuLDRg_tAzh6J4-HwAOwRbL3AtmmGMjMDybbxofcGMIRvjB2JvEy4gbmpbX0lmFvB7PrdI_ceadQCINd5hlDMP8Ao2NvXlGy4tdqxOBc4J2lNz/s400/P2240215.JPG" /></a> Before the Race: The card pinned to the back of her shirt, to keep track of how many laps she made. The kids got entered to win prizes equivalent in number to the amount of laps they ran (for example: 10 laps, 10 chances to win). (Alfie Kohn's theories about being "Punished by Rewards" come to mind.) I don't think the prizes were actually that much of an incentive for Zahra. I think she took sheer delight in running around with her friends and classmates just for the sake of running. Honestly, I think she forgot that there was really a reason the whole thing was even happening!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6osXWi8N1UkJybUfDj5rokQPNeZZDbKU-yFL1YyoHpEH3HeAB1_SBPZvGC8LlCTRU9dJH46OMlPOTPbm_EBjTJMU3PT_Oal7LlEKy0V98ObB-UmthWo9G-ith-1PLR9HojNidwPKlEI1/s1600-h/P2240216.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958457480366306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6osXWi8N1UkJybUfDj5rokQPNeZZDbKU-yFL1YyoHpEH3HeAB1_SBPZvGC8LlCTRU9dJH46OMlPOTPbm_EBjTJMU3PT_Oal7LlEKy0V98ObB-UmthWo9G-ith-1PLR9HojNidwPKlEI1/s400/P2240216.JPG" /></a> More stretching. I wish she could really touch her toes without bending her knees! I do stretches at home every day (though usually at night, before bed) and sometimes when Zahra sees me, she tries to follow along with whatever I'm doing. I've noticed she isn't very limber any more (not like the rubber baby brother), and I don't really remember often enough to get her to stretch every day. Since she doesn't see any progress and doesn't think that the stretches feel good, she doesn't really like to do it.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZybR4I0b8-3ZZpm1T0rKV4snM03EuRJQ2ilaFFHtm8RtKoy6V0JP-seeDhS-VEVs-PyU8L2y5Gyqgo_4inbj-fw_1R_BUxmeApuHEEiyCcviN1mVT9r4btcPAeNZBMcKKWazvm6cJLQJ/s1600-h/P2240217.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958369927078082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZybR4I0b8-3ZZpm1T0rKV4snM03EuRJQ2ilaFFHtm8RtKoy6V0JP-seeDhS-VEVs-PyU8L2y5Gyqgo_4inbj-fw_1R_BUxmeApuHEEiyCcviN1mVT9r4btcPAeNZBMcKKWazvm6cJLQJ/s400/P2240217.JPG" /></a> Stretching again. Not exactly Zahra's favorite part of this morning. But soon enough, she'll be having fun...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisitjRdlsPNBvk389SEPGX15pNJU_f4X0A1zxURLIkt1F69ZKi_3Y0IiQDa7uvWHU-ikf9yAICLnbcWhQosdrSp2-F2rSlOqYA1SJnScoBRQ9F7T497fU0LHJQI4w_KLYW1WlhVFGE4xY5/s1600-h/P2240219.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958273151723490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisitjRdlsPNBvk389SEPGX15pNJU_f4X0A1zxURLIkt1F69ZKi_3Y0IiQDa7uvWHU-ikf9yAICLnbcWhQosdrSp2-F2rSlOqYA1SJnScoBRQ9F7T497fU0LHJQI4w_KLYW1WlhVFGE4xY5/s400/P2240219.JPG" /></a> Listening to Mrs. Conton give directions. Off to the left is the teaching aide, Mrs. St. Pierre. For some reason, when Zahra talks about her, she always calls her "Miss Pierre." I think she really likes her, because every time there is a holiday (Christmas or Valentine's Day), she always wants to include Mrs. St. Pierre in whatever we're preparing to bring to school.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWGTN7anLJUcQwBEdosWsx18jIXnAEeCEL8L_u5YBwg1JBzvid8e90T2CnQG_lqimWbj-JCWJ4HNeusycnFHFFvaXnjrhb-HJ3sKW-KvBxQ5JB9-Sz4EOoqudlEur1dyBrEscr-jQEXUD/s1600-h/P2240222.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958157117221762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWGTN7anLJUcQwBEdosWsx18jIXnAEeCEL8L_u5YBwg1JBzvid8e90T2CnQG_lqimWbj-JCWJ4HNeusycnFHFFvaXnjrhb-HJ3sKW-KvBxQ5JB9-Sz4EOoqudlEur1dyBrEscr-jQEXUD/s400/P2240222.JPG" /></a>Lively music began to play and announcements were made over the PA system. Here they go! Then we see Zahra completing the first lap of the jog-a-thon. Definitely not tired yet. Still ready to run a lot more times around the track...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2f390hn3Ak9ULIgvEZAWX16IULP5l5IUVcwr1q0JVx_8lNKgTvVXfV-dXj4I_5Y0hq9BHoYOJKz_8GZHP_sSGKvaoplBOXwJ1GH_PizuUZd85Dm-1LDBnLZiXUw01rCx4ciNVwa6azQg4/s1600-h/P2240224.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441958061303774210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2f390hn3Ak9ULIgvEZAWX16IULP5l5IUVcwr1q0JVx_8lNKgTvVXfV-dXj4I_5Y0hq9BHoYOJKz_8GZHP_sSGKvaoplBOXwJ1GH_PizuUZd85Dm-1LDBnLZiXUw01rCx4ciNVwa6azQg4/s400/P2240224.JPG" /></a> Pulling off to the side of the track to get her lap marked off on her tally sheet... I think there was at least one or two laps that didn't get recorded, but I guess this isn't the Olympics anyway.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0K5BNOe9gOwZiLiQZyxk1f_A6aVB3Ux-ZmkSSXs5rLbibTtBHE5g1OY3qCiFKAT5DLZYMSxVV_QytqjCIFjtziARBSi5g2XSJW4HVyeobqgL-J2s2UdmQ3CBG88MOOKM2FvoKhSCPLkI/s1600-h/P2240229.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957970819705554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0K5BNOe9gOwZiLiQZyxk1f_A6aVB3Ux-ZmkSSXs5rLbibTtBHE5g1OY3qCiFKAT5DLZYMSxVV_QytqjCIFjtziARBSi5g2XSJW4HVyeobqgL-J2s2UdmQ3CBG88MOOKM2FvoKhSCPLkI/s400/P2240229.JPG" /></a> Although it's not centered properly, I like this shot since it captures her braids flying in the air as she runs along. (It was <em>so </em>hard to get good shots with all the chaotic kindergarten and first grade kids running around!)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEY9lliWhvOM_v96oe_bPzafG-g6dD7TALDn3JU7NaexD74ZN0rq9I9PSSUuIRl_ctbWBm6bz2fr2Ho_ExMFcYejV2muHy1KPAn1OOSxUoODbJdiq4wqtrCDpF1oakNmzC6HntS9wXup_d/s1600-h/P2240231.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957852692438274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEY9lliWhvOM_v96oe_bPzafG-g6dD7TALDn3JU7NaexD74ZN0rq9I9PSSUuIRl_ctbWBm6bz2fr2Ho_ExMFcYejV2muHy1KPAn1OOSxUoODbJdiq4wqtrCDpF1oakNmzC6HntS9wXup_d/s400/P2240231.JPG" /></a> Running with friends. Next to her in the red pants is Gracie, then Lian or Leah (the two girls in her class look somewhat alike to me and their names are so similar, I always get them mixed up!), and Kylie. They look like they are having such a good time!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoH2mHHH4KFemzIpHXOeNfLluyjC48KxuyYDzAjv0HG-Zs7HScS6DiPot3TNxNxPMcFZO2_YJdKAqaHXxovTzJKRufQTY5dxxkLfptUBTK1KJ11K79EybMUs51jL4xtGDO5sK7-TGQ4rD/s1600-h/P2240237.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957748102469394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoH2mHHH4KFemzIpHXOeNfLluyjC48KxuyYDzAjv0HG-Zs7HScS6DiPot3TNxNxPMcFZO2_YJdKAqaHXxovTzJKRufQTY5dxxkLfptUBTK1KJ11K79EybMUs51jL4xtGDO5sK7-TGQ4rD/s400/P2240237.JPG" /></a> A little while later, she found her friend Kyle and they held hands and raced around the track together. One of the things that Mrs. Conton had mentioned at the parent-teacher conference (did I already mention this?) was that Zahra has a lot of different friends and will play with both girls and boys, which was somewhat unique, in that many of the other kids are not that open. I think it's neat that she choses to interact with a lot of different kids. There are still particular friends that she mentions from time to time, but overall, I think she has fun with almost anyone she plays with at school.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgIin_ZFFJUdSMkcV4NTzS7DqbBs6ExCYO14O2-p5cl9hy1w1PPaLl8mGSTX0EXMxYSYZz_esyAeBL8TOT6ZqeHdRF8KAUrcJQUq6xjdZsYOD756ariGEQCYfWC2XBjSj3QqPoiO2_fPa/s1600-h/P2240238.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957610643071410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgIin_ZFFJUdSMkcV4NTzS7DqbBs6ExCYO14O2-p5cl9hy1w1PPaLl8mGSTX0EXMxYSYZz_esyAeBL8TOT6ZqeHdRF8KAUrcJQUq6xjdZsYOD756ariGEQCYfWC2XBjSj3QqPoiO2_fPa/s400/P2240238.JPG" /></a> During the "cool down" phase, Zahra and Kyle continued to walk around as the activity drew to a close.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOyT7SIXuSEck3AYAHDxztApkn_Njy-zENQNafdT-_H0RVt9ox2CfAUM8m_41ikWJu83lWj3N0LwOR5Pyu_noPBkVLF1ziu9uM0Z-XdCv9yTGlpTz-jTewFZrk0NKfS9uLOg-adeeCwiv/s1600-h/P2240239.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957515795852546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOyT7SIXuSEck3AYAHDxztApkn_Njy-zENQNafdT-_H0RVt9ox2CfAUM8m_41ikWJu83lWj3N0LwOR5Pyu_noPBkVLF1ziu9uM0Z-XdCv9yTGlpTz-jTewFZrk0NKfS9uLOg-adeeCwiv/s400/P2240239.JPG" /></a> One of the moms is holding a box of popsicles. Look who's all ready for hers...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dxY5nzlsV4YMS9GGrAPkb3lnjCXhxbPE6JRWExi-bn29Eq4q2ghiK_-V-749d-EDv88yOfo9sR7w68GwrNxmYMsYtRyem_wcjT-PZVu_OyrTKELRTXKDJr8F9Vh6gn_wiz9F4G4QY9P-/s1600-h/P2240241.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957415543385314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dxY5nzlsV4YMS9GGrAPkb3lnjCXhxbPE6JRWExi-bn29Eq4q2ghiK_-V-749d-EDv88yOfo9sR7w68GwrNxmYMsYtRyem_wcjT-PZVu_OyrTKELRTXKDJr8F9Vh6gn_wiz9F4G4QY9P-/s400/P2240241.JPG" /></a> The final tally: 14 times around the track. Not bad for a first time. Bessie said in years past, they had a smaller track set out for the kindergarten kids. This year, they ran around the same track that the rest of the school did. There were times when Zahra seemed to be getting tired or slowing down, but when I would yell, "Go, Zahra, go!" she would perk right up and break into a sprint. It was awesome! <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0qk3WtJRO_AvYcrJTYv-SPVJ4UXwUPqdlU2kJJHYLQ5UzInlxPlXRw5ax7fH6IGubRdAdOOPXoNneWO9pDnlwSjPiCRrPCz1nTn4nH0ARGc0FDC3oTDK3CaR_bdclVikNZqwTLBOdkcu/s1600-h/P2240244.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957334603963042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0qk3WtJRO_AvYcrJTYv-SPVJ4UXwUPqdlU2kJJHYLQ5UzInlxPlXRw5ax7fH6IGubRdAdOOPXoNneWO9pDnlwSjPiCRrPCz1nTn4nH0ARGc0FDC3oTDK3CaR_bdclVikNZqwTLBOdkcu/s400/P2240244.JPG" /></a> After the jog-a-thon was over, she still had some energy left to run to the tables where the kindergarteners eat snacks and lunches. The light at the end of this jog: popsicles! (And yes, even today, she's still jovially calling them "popiscles! popiscles!")<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqR1OM58dq-1ELQ5HzUeb6TppNnFJ7E3ICZz2FztHySfVPoTxTMUaWg6aBVyZgtE3sBq1VUPy7E9gGt1-N49YkBPLIoTqqjGbbJ5U7LbnnhYw6aMKRPRB_5yB63LzM00fSbpIFXIrESAyf/s1600-h/P2240245.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957238145866146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqR1OM58dq-1ELQ5HzUeb6TppNnFJ7E3ICZz2FztHySfVPoTxTMUaWg6aBVyZgtE3sBq1VUPy7E9gGt1-N49YkBPLIoTqqjGbbJ5U7LbnnhYw6aMKRPRB_5yB63LzM00fSbpIFXIrESAyf/s400/P2240245.JPG" /></a> Max in Maine<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS237X-m6N2M-WyVlh4y8v3AM5voQ6hno4sKFr9DH75ZbNpw0q_K3Oas2q3UqSZAucG7kOZSmwcDjBMfHDvoEgh2FlbKFNe3fqIaqNaV8RKoAR1AW7y5G9TWqhdCEIZJf0ESOVtVGi9hjW/s1600-h/P2240250.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441957090832560930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS237X-m6N2M-WyVlh4y8v3AM5voQ6hno4sKFr9DH75ZbNpw0q_K3Oas2q3UqSZAucG7kOZSmwcDjBMfHDvoEgh2FlbKFNe3fqIaqNaV8RKoAR1AW7y5G9TWqhdCEIZJf0ESOVtVGi9hjW/s400/P2240250.JPG" /></a> Enjoying <em>popiscles</em> with her classmates<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3LpOaVPX4W15qOf1U0L089Ia4yx3Q_YODth66jn7ca9TRTMjfk-gIy1EFs3UelJtnNnxfJLmiZcykTjYyA3Gz2Ae5H7VqrLUsmYRSts6_W8sUoWUkfkMV3wmnKJxq416QyI9KK4GPmZj/s1600-h/P2240248.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441956958219522450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3LpOaVPX4W15qOf1U0L089Ia4yx3Q_YODth66jn7ca9TRTMjfk-gIy1EFs3UelJtnNnxfJLmiZcykTjYyA3Gz2Ae5H7VqrLUsmYRSts6_W8sUoWUkfkMV3wmnKJxq416QyI9KK4GPmZj/s400/P2240248.JPG" /></a> The end of a good morning: Way to go, Zahra!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-26693406493052760882010-02-23T15:14:00.001-08:002010-02-23T15:42:51.171-08:00100 Days of School<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5NwqMnWSlVhWf7MoojBlREW3mfp4lIYwJf-QnYExlLGfHTPoOMCkpze748hJSWRL9ICcuwLrVmnCiIVF63DUbwYMQK9yYhFY_18uKyDSPJU89DKemvHT13CDwWdZk52eS6s_jxkNa6tE/s1600-h/22635_321318709161_806039161_3359127_5685497_n%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441582552845785602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5NwqMnWSlVhWf7MoojBlREW3mfp4lIYwJf-QnYExlLGfHTPoOMCkpze748hJSWRL9ICcuwLrVmnCiIVF63DUbwYMQK9yYhFY_18uKyDSPJU89DKemvHT13CDwWdZk52eS6s_jxkNa6tE/s400/22635_321318709161_806039161_3359127_5685497_n%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> (Photo credit: Tori)</span><br /><br /><div align="left">Yesterday marked the 100th day of school for Zahra. (She was absent one day, so technically it was 99, but who's counting?) All over Golden View, students were doing various projects to commemorate this milestone. In Zahra's classroom, while I was volunteering from 8 to 9:00, the students worked in small groups on a Fruit Loops project. They had charts with 100 squares and they each counted 10 Fruit Loops of one color for one line, then 10 more of another color, on and on down the rows until they had 100 little colored circles lined up on their chart. When they were finished, they put them into a little plastic baggie and later in the day they made necklaces out of them. Zahra promptly consumed her necklace right after school let out. She shared some of it with Max, too.<br /></div><div align="left">So I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of the progress Zahra has made in 100 remarkable days. She has learned so much in these last few months!<br /><br />Zahra entered kindergarten with some very basic skills that she had acquired in preschool. She knew a select few letters from her alphabet, barely knew how to write her name, and was nowhere near literate. </div><div align="left"><br />Now Zahra can read short words and complete sentences! The school sends home little readers for kids to practice and when your child reads the text well, it's sent back to school and another one comes home. Recently one of her favorites had a few sentences underneath pictures on 4 pages. The sentences read like this: "Go, Nan! Nan ran, ran ran. / Go, Pat. Pat ran, ran, ran. / Go, Van. Van ran, ran, ran. / Go, Cat! Cat sat, sat, sat." On the last page, the cat was sitting idly, having no intention to run in the race like the other characters. <em>Every</em> time Zahra would read it and get to the last page, she would tell me, "The cat doesn't listen. He doesn't want to run. He just sits there!" (I thought it was so cute how she wanted to explain what was going on every time.) </div><div align="left"><br />I think, thanks in large part to the Houghton Mifflin program called Alpha Friends and Mrs. Conton's repetition, Zahra quickly learned every letter and the sound that it makes. (Each letter has a corresponding character and picture, complete with a description of sound. Like "Keely Kangaroo says k..k..k.., Larry Lion says l..l..l.., Mimi Mouse says m..m..m..") She knows them in any order you point to them and her handwriting is continuing to improve.<br /><br />Zahra can clearly write her first name now (instead of a Z-scribble-scribble) and is working on writing her last name (no easy task since it has 10 letters!). She has a little reminder card in class to help her spell it correctly.<br /><br />She can also clearly identify and expand upon patterns. For example, if you put a red block, then two blue blocks, and another red block in a row, she can easily add to the pattern by putting more blue blocks down. For homework, she sometimes has to create her own patterns and they have been somewhat complex (not just two repeating colors or shapes, but multiples and singles mixed together).<br /><br />I was also surprised to read in her report card from last term that she knew the day and month of her birthday. It wasn't anything we had worked on at home and I was just kind of surprised when I read that. I almost didn't believe it so I quizzed her. "Zahra, when's your birthday?" to which she quickly replied, "February twelfth." Wow. Cool.<br /><br />I'm sure there are tons of other things that Zahra has learned and I will definitely know more after her next report card comes home. These are just some of the concrete things that I have seen myself, both inside the classroom and at home.<br /><br />I'm so proud of my kindergartener! I hope she continues to love school and wants to continue learning new things for the rest of her life.</div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-56848189392026825532010-02-16T16:35:00.000-08:002010-02-16T16:54:59.092-08:00Driving Miss Zahra<p align="left"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx3Tu-OJVc1EDxoWznhtUWipwz93hlBniBPrVjE4Q4hU94Uhk5OSkNrEvtX7IH220USlEEi7Eyak3nXnGO7Pw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>This is a short video clip of Zahra driving, including on the wrong side of the road... but really, does she even know what the <em>right </em>side of the road is? And at the end, she gets too close to the curb and her car gets wedged in. One of the employees had to run over and rescue her by pulling the car out a little bit. Shortly after that, all the cars shut down and the ride/drive was over. </p>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-28148363451036475832010-02-16T16:01:00.001-08:002010-02-16T16:28:27.516-08:00Legoland<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfpg1_toYwuvQImeCLST6WkqXqdZMrGn7u9gA1HVdvc7XVbSU-cw6m70KQi6PW_Lp5lMKvBoZ4FmhA_DKBFI6iM6heBt9GYYQCJmnMg7h75iLbKg3vKS6NLZVlq7yezvgMVfM8Llkg339/s1600-h/P2130108.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438997190888722802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfpg1_toYwuvQImeCLST6WkqXqdZMrGn7u9gA1HVdvc7XVbSU-cw6m70KQi6PW_Lp5lMKvBoZ4FmhA_DKBFI6iM6heBt9GYYQCJmnMg7h75iLbKg3vKS6NLZVlq7yezvgMVfM8Llkg339/s400/P2130108.JPG" /></a> The day after Zahra's birthday, Saturday, a bunch of us went down to Legoland, which is in Carlsbad (about 30 minutes north of San Diego). Here's Zahra with her 8-year-old friend Alysha. (When we used to live on Warner, Alysha and her parents lived in the apartment next door to us.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g2vJXxa13x8tKtBIkXfc4jo0jR2Wu7Hja7EUxttyP9zzXqyeN3kDp_1YPIn3CJEnluHyG2Sz8u8pFzModusdi-Ih6JLk2-lkuuibCSB4d4zgqZFdrrScJ7g-GcwrKb2c1uw1PEjPyXhE/s1600-h/P2130110.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438997105268033218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g2vJXxa13x8tKtBIkXfc4jo0jR2Wu7Hja7EUxttyP9zzXqyeN3kDp_1YPIn3CJEnluHyG2Sz8u8pFzModusdi-Ih6JLk2-lkuuibCSB4d4zgqZFdrrScJ7g-GcwrKb2c1uw1PEjPyXhE/s400/P2130110.JPG" /></a>I thought it was fun to see Zahra and Alysha next to this Bob the Builder guy made out of Legos since it was about the same height the kids. It was interesting to see so many big things made out of millions of tiny little Lego pieces.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8H3r9_KUH6dvylYCsrfoLSBMP77w4MpILVDXFILXLkxv9hfFm1I1mDFMhgdQmIzO7udAMkFBqXnHQkJsj2TN-asP6F5Pmp5CIW4IVYZ01YIq0Q8zSsWrsdDlO_ztev8KE47p5Qw9fV_X/s1600-h/P2130115.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438997018769384962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8H3r9_KUH6dvylYCsrfoLSBMP77w4MpILVDXFILXLkxv9hfFm1I1mDFMhgdQmIzO7udAMkFBqXnHQkJsj2TN-asP6F5Pmp5CIW4IVYZ01YIq0Q8zSsWrsdDlO_ztev8KE47p5Qw9fV_X/s400/P2130115.JPG" /></a> The previous night, Zahra started complaining of an earache. Then on Saturday, she seemed to be a little under the weather. She said that her ear still hurt, she had very little appetite, and most noticeable was her utter lack of energy. Usually she would be bouncing and running around, but on Saturday morning, she wanted to sit in my lap or be carried around as we waited in lines. She had been quite excited to go to Legoland, to the extent that she didn't even really care about going to Disneyland on her actual birthday. We had to explain, over and over again, that since she had school on Friday, it made more sense to go to Legoland on Saturday so that we could spend all day there (not to mention, it's our family tradition to go to the Happiest Place on Earth on our actual birthdays). She just kept asking, "Are we going to Legoland today?" the whole week! So above is a picture of her riding a little mechanical pony on a track, a little out of it. Just before she and Alysha waited in line for this, I had given her some Tylenol to try and help with the pain. But somehow, a little later in the day, she seemed to snap right out of it and she was almost back to her usual self.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B2c3tth3kcjDut7LDwWGYHdd8WndoyI72RzcU2iHOJBT-E6QtzhnhPj1dqkWh0I2KP6cTrtJB0Jv9RxaOV6mt7WCvOQzY8YOHNP5yAfF3XDaggkRjTWrN3OlbsOOpEOUx3M2nLSw7u3I/s1600-h/P2130119.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996940827711442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B2c3tth3kcjDut7LDwWGYHdd8WndoyI72RzcU2iHOJBT-E6QtzhnhPj1dqkWh0I2KP6cTrtJB0Jv9RxaOV6mt7WCvOQzY8YOHNP5yAfF3XDaggkRjTWrN3OlbsOOpEOUx3M2nLSw7u3I/s400/P2130119.JPG" /></a> Willie took this picture of Max and I love his expression!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXW3BG1j8GEJ7WKNHGaGm6D48c2KYOZrpTKET6WPN9c_oMEBYLJiTRZcYrdgnaA9NH87HUly7-e64y0bT7lq2tyjMCAfRFxNHOoy0Egut96nIKSImmu46RAbGH3shGCg4GbXFvEJXqGvfn/s1600-h/P2130128.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996838732455282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXW3BG1j8GEJ7WKNHGaGm6D48c2KYOZrpTKET6WPN9c_oMEBYLJiTRZcYrdgnaA9NH87HUly7-e64y0bT7lq2tyjMCAfRFxNHOoy0Egut96nIKSImmu46RAbGH3shGCg4GbXFvEJXqGvfn/s400/P2130128.JPG" /></a> The girls look tiny in this big huge chair...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVFmvpJuXlLAGimdcsyYpDxwkPaVhR7yjRSihoiR2WxWasouC2toVMVmRtjMPIO7jqz7esfAdUNeXg68xNlC4w_tNU0zujmWSk8FBqMPyqv6NEWo8HwfeyWjsG5O0eOIvCgJo9AxfvT3S/s1600-h/P2130132.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996743738117122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVFmvpJuXlLAGimdcsyYpDxwkPaVhR7yjRSihoiR2WxWasouC2toVMVmRtjMPIO7jqz7esfAdUNeXg68xNlC4w_tNU0zujmWSk8FBqMPyqv6NEWo8HwfeyWjsG5O0eOIvCgJo9AxfvT3S/s400/P2130132.JPG" /></a> the kids table - Zahra, Jordan, and Alysha</div><div>(Jordan is Willie's cousin Terrace's son; he's 2 years old)<br /></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbmhx1w7OiCo738qBhMfPc6Hnkev0giEjNKUIgAwNjN8kmlJ4XJr-6YUNKa3tvHD1hSDVT4mqvGYZXq5LfxeOS9h2X9l-7e-eRW9vndS_HXJv8o1rLltU1Y5KjTO71F9bHsgB65ji0D6Z/s1600-h/P2130134.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996649950771538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbmhx1w7OiCo738qBhMfPc6Hnkev0giEjNKUIgAwNjN8kmlJ4XJr-6YUNKa3tvHD1hSDVT4mqvGYZXq5LfxeOS9h2X9l-7e-eRW9vndS_HXJv8o1rLltU1Y5KjTO71F9bHsgB65ji0D6Z/s400/P2130134.JPG" /></a> She looks like she wants to say, "Do I have to blow out the candles?" They weren't trick candles or anything, but it took her about 3 or 4 tries to blow them all out.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdcoeytd6DNf7hB7WsZheqlI3HaQ-DJJxs5UYtFhMr1q_dCYjYljyzOvsBuoR-8lhFvm66krAmoXVmOjeS8PZ8SmtMarjOoyhxiUIc7rdLJyzpCVpKbE77WkhWrswU4OAohhWEpnnouUK/s1600-h/P2130138.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996550948209890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdcoeytd6DNf7hB7WsZheqlI3HaQ-DJJxs5UYtFhMr1q_dCYjYljyzOvsBuoR-8lhFvm66krAmoXVmOjeS8PZ8SmtMarjOoyhxiUIc7rdLJyzpCVpKbE77WkhWrswU4OAohhWEpnnouUK/s400/P2130138.JPG" /></a> Zahra next to her birthday guy sign. We had a party package and so we rented a room where we all had lunch and cake. It was fun to have an area where we could all sit and have the place to ourselves.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9QetUe7hfwRGtw0yayfZDWNU8ZyMhr71MYrXO_MbQuS0BmQ7lTz5tTHrQqn9uIpNs89zuB1BoS3D4C1AVoK4sZIOyyFIBcnvWPKLsNygHVnAt8SCiS9zXW_mmhoaQ0AAW_5rOYUwtEaE/s1600-h/P2130150.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996458452908370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9QetUe7hfwRGtw0yayfZDWNU8ZyMhr71MYrXO_MbQuS0BmQ7lTz5tTHrQqn9uIpNs89zuB1BoS3D4C1AVoK4sZIOyyFIBcnvWPKLsNygHVnAt8SCiS9zXW_mmhoaQ0AAW_5rOYUwtEaE/s400/P2130150.JPG" /></a> After lunch, the girls went on a "driving test." They have their hands raised up because someone asked over the loudspeaker if they all had their seat belts on. Notice there are no tracks. Even so, they were surprisingly few collisions.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuvNSCH8tOwSifxCncJjxWYRvQd5GtKjFpqOwzZV_h0HXzvyjVMIQ1PdJeXdc3MAbcQEY0ucdAjNGkvaZGlprsmLnM1GVQTyLxXNDkejuDQ9i9dNW3flNILGgzUZx3ScbG5YwTVsSiAFw/s1600-h/P2130154.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996354689979666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuvNSCH8tOwSifxCncJjxWYRvQd5GtKjFpqOwzZV_h0HXzvyjVMIQ1PdJeXdc3MAbcQEY0ucdAjNGkvaZGlprsmLnM1GVQTyLxXNDkejuDQ9i9dNW3flNILGgzUZx3ScbG5YwTVsSiAFw/s400/P2130154.JPG" /></a> But that's not to say there weren't <em>any </em>crashes! I think Zahra had a little trouble figuring out the gas and brake pedal situation.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6oKaSP-aIDHLUBxM6CaHPZDe0rtcbemjraU6Dtff_MDkUSBolGK83JzV8ySj3PSWkmqdoKEHVZ72d0wzlfQcXQ6BN7qCm0IqQzs7Hd3smXzd8zyLBRojN-w7K6F9Y98kqbRxYQ6Pyg2R/s1600-h/P2130160.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996249558837090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6oKaSP-aIDHLUBxM6CaHPZDe0rtcbemjraU6Dtff_MDkUSBolGK83JzV8ySj3PSWkmqdoKEHVZ72d0wzlfQcXQ6BN7qCm0IqQzs7Hd3smXzd8zyLBRojN-w7K6F9Y98kqbRxYQ6Pyg2R/s400/P2130160.JPG" /></a> The proud little birthday driver at the end of her "test." She got a license... just like everybody else. I can <em>definitely </em>wait until the real thing. For now, I would be happy for her to drive another little Volvo at Legoland.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuVYpCK2lNbrcDr3qKU4a9hSgBiBPMcePN-T3hK9WZTK75Y3S35KPDUQGlUByXr63QSdfOAVz_LUVDEakAUbBFuKFdr8fyvKG6nW1qOHJyCK-QgygSbCa7qGAtnnJh8iBfgOHlOp1cEey/s1600-h/P2130167.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996152054766866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuVYpCK2lNbrcDr3qKU4a9hSgBiBPMcePN-T3hK9WZTK75Y3S35KPDUQGlUByXr63QSdfOAVz_LUVDEakAUbBFuKFdr8fyvKG6nW1qOHJyCK-QgygSbCa7qGAtnnJh8iBfgOHlOp1cEey/s400/P2130167.JPG" /></a> At the end of the day, we went to Miniland and looked at all the mock cities that had been built. Here are some Washingtons (and others) taking a picture in Washington.</div><div><br />From left to right: (in the back row) Rachel and her son Jordan, Willie jr., then in the front are Teshauna and Alysha, Max and his mom, Bessie, Leland, Denise, William, and Willie sr. -- But where is the birthday girl?<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzpt9uwqwuX23vOeHmeUxvSGUlK5mMhjTW_pZF7ruphCWXQdpc_hzDlV308sxaL2SlR7qkY2G9VGY3OH2CRX3eaLkh8A5b1bNcyLM8wQ5oO1fg2COr5_iLt_l8-gwISPTjgaD5TaDRi55/s1600-h/P2130168.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438996011764682162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzpt9uwqwuX23vOeHmeUxvSGUlK5mMhjTW_pZF7ruphCWXQdpc_hzDlV308sxaL2SlR7qkY2G9VGY3OH2CRX3eaLkh8A5b1bNcyLM8wQ5oO1fg2COr5_iLt_l8-gwISPTjgaD5TaDRi55/s400/P2130168.JPG" /></a> We regrouped and took another picture, gaining the birthday girl, but losing a few others. </div><div> </div><div>Overall, it was a really fun weekend. It was really great that so many people were able to come to Legoland with us to celebrate Zahra's birthday. It was nice to do an immediate-family outing on her actual birthday after school and then do another amusement park the next day with more family and friends.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-7674398727435754822010-02-16T15:30:00.000-08:002010-02-16T15:56:35.809-08:00Zahra's 6th Birthday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMqqoQbN2GwQnQTBSJAUe9ILrAvRmquh4TYeVwnrbXLn8WL759h4dsoyDZCMa3anJH77Wuu1sOyQGumchrATSl9UrbT9cVVbpd3F-X18jl-r3PhbOphc_tGgfDANoG2yVi3K41wTR0Gyq/s1600-h/P2120069.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438988437769434114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMqqoQbN2GwQnQTBSJAUe9ILrAvRmquh4TYeVwnrbXLn8WL759h4dsoyDZCMa3anJH77Wuu1sOyQGumchrATSl9UrbT9cVVbpd3F-X18jl-r3PhbOphc_tGgfDANoG2yVi3K41wTR0Gyq/s400/P2120069.JPG" /></a> Here's Zahra on Friday morning, her 6th birthday. Can you tell this is before I fixed her hair for school? She opened her gifts when we came downstairs in the morning. One of the things she wanted was a flashlight, so here she's happily testing it out. She opened some other things from Nana Mommy and Auntie Sis before we got ready for school.<br /><br />Since Valentine's Day was on Sunday, the kids had their celebrations at school on Friday, which also happened to be Zahra's birthday. The kids aren't allowed to pass out candy or sweets, so they just exchanged little Valentine's Day cards. As it was good practice for the kids to work on their handwriting, the kindergarten teachers requested that all the Valentines be addressed by the students themselves. Since I knew this would be quite a bit of work, we began the project on Superbowl Sunday and got a good majority of them done. She worked on them some more during the week and turned them in on Wednesday, when they were due. So not only did the kids have Valentine's Day stuff, Zahra got a special birthday crown to wear all day. We also donated a book to the classroom ("Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman), one of Zahra's favorites. It's one that we own, so she's asked me over and over again to read it to her. I found a little board book version for $5 at Barnes and Noble, so that's the one we gave to her class. (The school requests no sweets, so they suggest giving out pencils to the class or donating a book that the teacher reads first thing in the morning.)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg5hMb86ppMo5IoHMUlSBKGrcoTWNX6VvTRM86-WOPrOeWwsc8RmNbgrkjAQdxNDLR1g32pTszxictMe584MvVUDJOTgDViRWWLscGM8w7K3YiDJX3EFwMYfJwBtA0ZMFxcl0qExFbKJl/s1600-h/P2120079.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438988371201660338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPg5hMb86ppMo5IoHMUlSBKGrcoTWNX6VvTRM86-WOPrOeWwsc8RmNbgrkjAQdxNDLR1g32pTszxictMe584MvVUDJOTgDViRWWLscGM8w7K3YiDJX3EFwMYfJwBtA0ZMFxcl0qExFbKJl/s400/P2120079.JPG" /></a> Here we are, right after school, arriving in the parking lot at Disneyland. I wanted to get a picture of Zahra in her birthday hat, before it came off. Little did I know, she would wear that hat for the rest of the day, <em>and the next day, too! </em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkuXhrxcwEioNV65z2AuBb5WGFY40irVBuc-2vZW03idng53cIwAd4XM67UTiCtOrMYMkeMMJM_GcklGzeQ1uWpa6MB2g0Jmb-VR7Sf80ohFrRf1CjNQDwZBvbK6edTlCis9GILaZ2hG9/s1600-h/P2120083.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438988307934624674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkuXhrxcwEioNV65z2AuBb5WGFY40irVBuc-2vZW03idng53cIwAd4XM67UTiCtOrMYMkeMMJM_GcklGzeQ1uWpa6MB2g0Jmb-VR7Sf80ohFrRf1CjNQDwZBvbK6edTlCis9GILaZ2hG9/s400/P2120083.JPG" /></a> Ever since we got a little umbrella stroller, Zahra has been eager to push Max around. (She wanted to do this with our other stroller, but since it's so much taller, she can't see where she's going. The smaller size of this stroller makes it easier for her to look where she's going, though that doesn't necessarily make her that much of a better navigator!)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Jy6djVp0giAhLM4ufgIfSMf09WFrRov_nc7-1rdcDzu15BrQ4WnoAQBd8BoLbwYiyrGmAJVUuYSvlwQnj8uaEW4rHXG8GxkM7lGUgFiATN-thSe1tOSpgbmm-iZinPlMSdPvMxKskavQ/s1600-h/P2120084.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438988228437132274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Jy6djVp0giAhLM4ufgIfSMf09WFrRov_nc7-1rdcDzu15BrQ4WnoAQBd8BoLbwYiyrGmAJVUuYSvlwQnj8uaEW4rHXG8GxkM7lGUgFiATN-thSe1tOSpgbmm-iZinPlMSdPvMxKskavQ/s400/P2120084.JPG" /></a> And when Max gets tired of getting pushed around, guess who sits where he is now? Big 6 year old Zahra...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHvffxR2zsQq-NQpcsHxdk-LqdOqZcs98yf3cvsHBKRPic6lTAJCfNVfYRU7M5ACtmCRusoq3Aq4mSyStOl4udLSm674Ouu_olQbD6zMcS2_fDt-XxcbDWMYzN68XifxkUiOTwal8a271/s1600-h/P2120094.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438988150233122770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHvffxR2zsQq-NQpcsHxdk-LqdOqZcs98yf3cvsHBKRPic6lTAJCfNVfYRU7M5ACtmCRusoq3Aq4mSyStOl4udLSm674Ouu_olQbD6zMcS2_fDt-XxcbDWMYzN68XifxkUiOTwal8a271/s400/P2120094.JPG" /></a> Zahra used to be scared to take pictures with the characters (like the White Rabbit here from Alice in Wonderland), but now she runs right up and gets ready to get her picture taken. I even remember when she would be scared if she was even being held in your arms.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYa3pyoY3HdDiBf8DRU2Ei4839kNQj9nWvyr8HIhs07Vg2kuBTvdBowFIKpsaf2-Tj76jk0Qye4U9KR9Nycdy8sC5HF5tLDyp-XEnvL29ny4jyFJkAyMABpe4_VkJ7GHtWzX7UpxZFZm-/s1600-h/P2120095.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438988068370837266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYa3pyoY3HdDiBf8DRU2Ei4839kNQj9nWvyr8HIhs07Vg2kuBTvdBowFIKpsaf2-Tj76jk0Qye4U9KR9Nycdy8sC5HF5tLDyp-XEnvL29ny4jyFJkAyMABpe4_VkJ7GHtWzX7UpxZFZm-/s400/P2120095.JPG" /></a> Here are Willie and Zahra waiting in line to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This was definitely one of my favorite rides when we visited Disneyland when I was a teenager. Since Zahra is now 40" tall, she can go on more roller coasters like this one and Splash Mountain. Also, most times she can ride them twice because of the Switch Pass. She'll wait in line, like she did here with Willie, and then they get a special pass, since we have Max (who's not big enough to ride yet). After she gets off the ride with Willie, he can come out and watch Max, and Zahra and I get to take that pass and wait in a much shorter line. </div><div> </div><div>Also, for the first time on Friday, she rode Space Mountain. What a fun birthday! Since we were so excited for her to ride Space Mountain for the first time on her birthday, we were willing to wait the hour and a half in line, while Willie kept a sleeping Max in the stroller. So we went to the end of the line and asked for a Switch Pass. Because it was her birthday, the employee also gave us a Fast Pass which let us wait in a line that only took about 10 or 15 minutes instead. We were so lucky! We got on the ride and Zahra seemed excited to try something new, wondering only really where a safe place for her glasses would be. Usually, I try to look over at her while we're riding, because watching her face is more fun than the ride itself. It's great to see the smiles and expressions as the ride zooms around. However, with Space Mountain, since it's in complete darkness, with only simulated stars, I couldn't see anything! I was worried that she was scared because you couldn't see the track or know where the ride was going. I held tight to her little hand (she couldn't hear me when I kept asking "Are you OK, Z?") and just enjoyed the ride. As soon as the ride stopped, she yelled, "That was fun! I wanna go on it again!" and because we had the Switch Pass, she got to go again with Willie, immediately after she and I were finished.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ecCBAzTXkKuIlORiSihiv7VHAr3bocI5mhflVdKG4SdaE135kundy4v18T4jgrvZ8x3TfvBCxNNOq1HqZ723j2baxv3LGaEzMeCVkesFl1Fvt1jQ2CD_fWATz_5aFP_T7yrVOqahTqCb/s1600-h/P2120105.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438987990551354018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ecCBAzTXkKuIlORiSihiv7VHAr3bocI5mhflVdKG4SdaE135kundy4v18T4jgrvZ8x3TfvBCxNNOq1HqZ723j2baxv3LGaEzMeCVkesFl1Fvt1jQ2CD_fWATz_5aFP_T7yrVOqahTqCb/s400/P2120105.JPG" /></a> But all that excitement was too much! I knew she was going to fall asleep on the ride home, so I brought her pajama pants and had her change into them in a bathroom stall before we went to the car. I took this picture because I thought it was funny how her arm and hand were raised up, even though she was sound asleep.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-4732870964222049752010-02-08T16:33:00.000-08:002010-02-08T16:44:16.642-08:00Rice & BeansOf course, before I got the camera out and turned on, Max was much louder and probably even a little more funny. But you can still get the idea, from some of these videos, how funny Max was being while eating his rice and beans one day...<br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzK-Od2PYm1fg0wOXlnG6FJqCnAHshDSz2DzXUgvi0VEvrmkueExXQQY3QyhdEgoRyXNbhoSDvxod17f_Tm1w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Something about his conviction makes his speech so funny to me. I just wish that somehow I could understand what he's trying to convey. Nonetheless, it's still entertaining (to me) just to watch him babble.</p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw7MdBx79qbxvRRAPR8dQyNtnkrAXQ2h_FIjyjzM1q9wBCFJsN2jCHCBTcsgTLSX-CeN3Nf8gpv5MPKfsHl_w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-453962323613959914.post-90069233188162169212010-02-08T16:27:00.000-08:002010-02-08T16:32:57.940-08:00The Little Climber<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dh6hhvOH4J3A6a3gJmsA7cwm4-CU3F1X2ZZjwW2E2yz7Zju4gTIZGo1xT9Nw_RPis57-ekrIz0gAtAVmP0CC2KxcjOKXv1gbqxURv5xOk57cAHK_jY8WzhXkEhWI9pPH8d1VU1p7b9Ev/s1600-h/PC040017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436034328686067010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dh6hhvOH4J3A6a3gJmsA7cwm4-CU3F1X2ZZjwW2E2yz7Zju4gTIZGo1xT9Nw_RPis57-ekrIz0gAtAVmP0CC2KxcjOKXv1gbqxURv5xOk57cAHK_jY8WzhXkEhWI9pPH8d1VU1p7b9Ev/s400/PC040017.JPG" /></a> The day before we were going to paint inside our new house, I had Max along with me one morning while Zahra was at school. I was working on taping up the baseboards and moulding so that we could paint the following afternoon. We only got around to doing Zahra's room because we ran out of time. These pictures were taken in our bedroom. (I suppose I should take some new pictures now that all the furniture is set up and we're all settled in... Coming soon?)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AFVJleYcH3lsfOkI0p2PAMOLtpEFX_2zFBAV0LUHtNbBXZ60iTGwsbqD44x8o85CyA3kB467z1JBHDIPHIOJpRH-d09BPoxdsaTKicZ8qycn28g2f8GTWcN-dt1D8kwp51Z21QisyFvr/s1600-h/PC040021.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436034241043234898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AFVJleYcH3lsfOkI0p2PAMOLtpEFX_2zFBAV0LUHtNbBXZ60iTGwsbqD44x8o85CyA3kB467z1JBHDIPHIOJpRH-d09BPoxdsaTKicZ8qycn28g2f8GTWcN-dt1D8kwp51Z21QisyFvr/s400/PC040021.JPG" /></a> I was amazed at how quickly Max climbed up the ladder himself. Before stepping back to take a quick shot, I was standing behind him in case he fell. He seemed to be aware of the fact that he could take a big fall, so he held on tightly and didn't come loose until I pried his little hands away.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6lrzbJmJjHT_IuSYN2vwEf8TRYvuOxD2L_FuqORBmQhzMr2FHzlGlsZRIHzxVCOBEqgvBYa6YlCTbiLl6zcPcSPd-LkzW1-z3h8YygpcqRIiROQRO6nLzDNgoxj1ydXsnBwW6zO6PiA9/s1600-h/PC040024.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436034152305096882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6lrzbJmJjHT_IuSYN2vwEf8TRYvuOxD2L_FuqORBmQhzMr2FHzlGlsZRIHzxVCOBEqgvBYa6YlCTbiLl6zcPcSPd-LkzW1-z3h8YygpcqRIiROQRO6nLzDNgoxj1ydXsnBwW6zO6PiA9/s400/PC040024.JPG" /></a> Needless to say, I didn't get very much done with the little toddler trying to get into everything. Oh, well.<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03982789433977153849noreply@blogger.com0